universe at war:Mass assault
by Dragonkingofthestars
Summary: A human colony goes missing and the Alliance between Novus Humanity and the Masari meet mass effect full force. liberty's taken in intermeshing the two storys.
1. prologe

**_Note: Halo token is now beta reading this stroy so this should have much better grammer. YA!_**

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><p><strong>Prologe<strong>

The stars beckoned to humanity.

With the Hierarchy defeated they spen_t_ years recovering until they were ready.

With the technology of Novus aiding them, and guided by the Masari they uplifted _themselves_ from the_i_r war torn city's and spread.

When they landed on mars they found ancient Masari ruins and _unlocked_ the secret of Masari FTL.

They called it Mass Effect and found the Mass Catapult _buried within Charon for millenia as it orbited_ around Pluto and used it to expand.

For years humanity and Novus expanded while the Masari_,__with their_ small population_,_ remained on earth. They called themselves the Alliance, _a multi-species goverment_, between _the _Novus, Masari and Humans. They soon found the Hierarchy who were surprised by the survival of Novus and the Masari and the war began again.

100 years of war rocked the two super powers _and even_ though they each wish to destroy the other it was decided a armistice would be called for, for 33 years. To recover, rearm and prepare.


	2. it begins

Jackson walked over the carnage that remained of the colony. It had been devastated and right now the army was searching the shattered husk of civilisation.

"Lot of damage." his visor lit up with a small image of Luna his EDI or Enhanced Defense Intelligence spoke to him over the mental link an advanced computer that interfaced directly with his brain.

"I've seen over a thousand gun shots, and no trace of radiation burns. Say what you will, butthis was not the Hierarchy."

"Lovely." Jackson said looking a dead body over noting that it had some form of hole in it. "Can you tell what killedthis man?"

"Hard to tell," she said after a half second "I sense a large temporary cavity was opened but its hard to tell accurately what kind of weapon caused it. Nothing we have on record thats for sure."

"Damn, a new alien race opens the proceedings with war."

"Commander." Jackson turned to face the Spec op's trooper behind him, Willem had a long service under his belt and had been fighting the Hierarchy his whole life. Took a radiation blast from a Grunt radiation shot gun about three years back and had almost half his face replaced with the silvery metal of Novus, the metal meshing with the flesh with ease.

He also took the opportunity to have an addition installed the three, three inch sensors that were just below his eye that currently lay flat on his face which gave him some scanning ability.

"We found some recordings, some unknown alien race decided it be fun to raid our world." The sensors flipped on his face in rage "The videos show them taking people alive and torturing some of the defenders. Nasty stuff."

"Do we know where they went?"

"No sir. Colony's Assemblers had yet to get some basic flow fields up and interplanetary sensors were a lower priority compared to that."

"Did we kill any one?"

"At least one. The video shows he got too close to a blade trooper. But they cleaned up their dead so we couldn't get any samples, they clearly knew this was a first contact."

"Well my orders are to get ourpeople back, time to find them."

"Ya now we get to play big Goddamn hero!" Luna added.

"Shut up." He pointed a hand to his head to let Willem know he meant the AI not him then he pointed back to Willem. "Find what data you can find and send it back to the ship, I'm going back to have the Cruisers perform some long range patrols."

"Sir." Willem saluted and he turned around and walked off to search for the data and report it to the capital ship in orbit.

Jackson moved though the colony till he got to the landing pad. He stepped onto a small shuttle which thenlifted off and set course towards the cruiser Alexander in orbit.

SHIFT

"Erug." Chris slowly stood up, the last thing he remembered was falling asleep and now he was here and his head was pounding.

Strange voices speaking in strange languages surrounded him as he tried to stand up.

"Easy, easy." the AI he had synerged with said in his head. "Don't know what happened but we took a pounding."

"Don't think I don't know that?" he muttered back as he got up into a seated position only to find a alien looking at him.

It had orange skin, a wide set mouth, big eyes, and, things, on its head.

As his surprise grew the alien raised a hand with a smile.

Another odd voice spoke seaming to scold the orange one and a blue skinned alien with what looked like a squid on her head appeared in his vision. She shooed him off and sat down in front of him.

Chris looked around.

It was some sort of cage with a number of different alien races in it. Though he was the only human. The Alien cleared her throat and he turned to face her. She had some kind of dark purple tattoo on her face that framed it. She pointed to her self to give her name.

"Helmi." she pointed to him.

"Chris." he said back slowly unsure of his location he was sure if his head hurt less he would be panicking.

She then pointed to a second blue skinned girl then to her self showing the name of her species."Asari." she pointed at him.

"Human?" she nodded, Chris may not know but he sat across from a former linguist before the ship she was on was taken in the Terminus Systems. She knew no one had met this race before and the Batarians had to go and fuck up first contact.

SHIFT

"Sir leaving FTL in 12 seconds."

"Look alive." Jackson said as the Alexander left the blue glow of the Mass Effect fields as the mass catapult's effect wore off. The catapult was newly activated so they assumed the invaders had activated it.

"Good shot." Jackson commented as the Alexander began to move though the void of space.

"Ping the whole system with active scanners lets make our selves known gents."

The Alexander sensors flared with a flash of light across the visible spectrum as they flared into life scanning the system with their immense power. They found two ships.

"Sir two vessels, one of them a Cruiser the other a Frigate sized vessel orbiting around the localgas giant."

"Put us in orbit and set all men to combat stations and ready the EMP cannon."

SHIFT

"Any idea if the Turians are going to let us go?" Captain Mafin'Elm Vas Wanderer said as she took a drink though her suits feeding tube.

"Don't know sir, they think we may have activated the mass relay and you have to admit it looks bad." Helmin Kalm said back he was head of the marine detachment to the small Quarian exploratory vessel.

"We didn't though we showed them are history, hell we let them pick though are systems to prove we had not!" Her arm shot up.

"No need to tell me ma'am."

"Sorry Helmin." she said sheepishly "I'm taking my frustration at the bosh'tet out on you."

"No need to tell me ma'am." He said with a smile and a happier tone of voice.

Suddenly alarms screamed. "Unknown cruiser detected!"

The Alexander emerged from FTL 12,000 Kilometers from the two vessels. Before the surprised Turians could react the front of the ship glowed and a gout of lighting exploded out of the controlled EMP cannon shorting systems and frying computers, aboard the Quarian ship.

"What the hell going on!" the Turian Captain yelled as the pulse of blue energy flew by them and their systems dimmed.

"Sir a DEW just missed us and hit the Wanderer. We got hit by the edge of it."

"What?" the captain was shocked how the hell could they do that? A direct energy weapon of that size? And power?

"What did it do? The Wanderer looks unharmed."

"Unclear. Sir the ship is approaching us."

"Open fire." he said calmly the shock of the unknown gone as he now slippedinto the state of mind required for the battle he knew was coming.

The Turian ship Battle swung around and fired its spinal mass cannon. The shot was absorbed by the shields and the Alexander responded with a hail of rounds blasting out from three dozen gun points on the ships hull.

The blue trace of Mass Effect Autocannons lit up space. With a bore of 240mm they were not nearly as powerful as other weapons available but their rate of fire and numbers made them very effective along with the fact they were currently formated to fire ASR, or anti shielding rounds. Basically the same as a disrupter round. The rounds and their sheer rate of fire tore the Battle shields apart.

"Shields down to 20 percent sir." The captain nodded. What ever their weapons were they packed a punch.

"Break engagement and prepare FTL drive."

The Battle swung round and its drive flared into life as the maelstrom of rounds tore into them. Alexander shifted its guns to the APHP protocol. Or the Armor penetrating high precision.

The guns took five seconds before each shot to get a good target lock and began shooting at engines.

The Battle took some good hits but it managed to get away.

SHIFT

Jackson huffed.

"Damn I wanted to get them both." Luna added over his head set.

"How do you know that either of them were ourtargets?"

"I didn't, thats why I aimed to disable the ship. Why the Emp had to miss the cruiser I'll never know."

"The distance was a bit much." Luna added as an observation.

Jackson nodded from his place on the command deck.

"Right, now send the modified first contact package I want to talk to them, so I can interrogate them."

-Codex Alliance weapons and Protocols-

Alliance ships are built with a large number of far smaller guns then what the council accepts to be viable. The standard weapon of the Alliance is the Autocannon with a bore of either 240mm on the low end and 390mm on the high end. Additional a secondary spinal weapon is added often a EMP gun, black hole bomb, or a massive field inverter that can generate either a massive shield or fire an almost one ton projectile at speeds approaching light speed.

The thing that makes autocannons viable are Protocols.

The Autocannons fire so called tech shells stored in 'buffers' similar to what the Vertigo class electronic warfare unit uses save much larger. The tech shell is a self contained unit of nanobots who in the three seconds before firing, and the reason for the one round every three seconds rate of fire, recieve the programing for the protocol then adjust it self based on the protocol.

Depending on the programing uploaded its behaviour changes. The ASR protocol adds small scale EMP functionality though the reconditioning of the shell to hold more fragile electronics adversely effects its penetration power while APHR both makes the shell take a more dense form and reshapes into a conical shape, and changes the programing on the gun.

The list of unclassified protocols are.

ASR:Anti shielding rounds

APHP:Armor penetrating high precision.

FW:Fragmenting warhead

DR: Deforming round

Antimatter round


	3. Planning and lerning

_**BOLD leaning type: text messages.**_

_Leaning_:thoughts

**/Bold with slashs/**_**:non sentint AI Thoughts.**_

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><p><strong>Chapter two<strong>

The Frigate Wanderer'_s_ Captain Mafin wrung her hands as the cruiser approached having beaten off the Turian. The only light were the red tinted emergency lighting all other systems shut down.

Helmin walked up behind her with the status report. "_A_ll systems are down though a few of _our_ computers started _reactivating_ a few moments ago. What ever it is it forced all _our_ systems to over _charge__which forced them to shut down_ the_y're_ now in the process of rebooting. We should be fully functional in a minute." _A_s he finished the lights came back on.

"_G_ood. What of the cruiser?" _S_he pointed out the observation window were the silver cruiser hung just off port.

"Hasn't done a damn thing but there likely waiting for _our_ systems to recover."

"_L_ovely." _T_he ship shuddered as another system engaged it self.

"Can't be long now." Helmin added.

"_C_aptain, bridge here we're picking up a transmission _coming from the cruiser _seems they were looping it for when we recovered."

"Like I said" Helmin said and Mafin nodded and the two went to the bridge.

"_W_ell what is it?" _S_he asked once up there.

"_H_ard to tell." _T_he communication officer said "_T_here _are_ language files, biometrics everything you expect in a first contact but there is more. There _are_ video files of the Batarians raiding some colony, one of theirs I assume, and then a image of _our_ ship then it cuts to the Batarians again."

Mafin had the revelation "_T_hey don't know if we did it."

"Makes sense they went in with a weapon that shuts us down then aim_ed_ for the engines when it came to blows." Helmin added.

"_W_ell, I suppose the best we can do is send are own first contact back. Any idea what we're going to do now?"

SHIFT

"_W_e cover _our_ selves in honey, roll around in onions, then shove _our_ selves in a pickle barrel and proceed to roll _our_ selves down a hill."

"_B_it extreme don't you think Luna?" Jackson said as the first contact data from the alien vessel ran across his computer monitor as fast as Luna translated and decrypted it. Which was pretty fast being a AI built for electronic warfare.

"_I_ts better then what command gonna do us when they find out we fired upon a ship that were not _our_ raiders."

Jackson made no comment as he sighed "_C_an you get text messages across yet?"

"_A_lmost, this things really intuitive I say humans could figure it out in a couple _of_ weeks. _L_ike holding a book for a child, remember this with words and pictures together." Jackson nodded.

"_W_hat can you tell me about them?"

"_T_hey call themselves Quarians, they have a dextro DNA _sequence_, thats opposite_ to_ your own. Another thing I picked up is that I do not see them in anything other then full environment suits why? Not sure, cultural? Biological? Other then basic details I have no data it was built to aid in talking then asking the questions you need in person."

"_C_an we start talking now?"

"_D_oubtful. Though text messages are well within the realm of possibility for the next few hours at least."

"_L_ets start." Jackson cracked his knuckles and bent over his computer.

SHIFT

"_C_aptain were getting a transmission."  
><em>"<em>W_ell they figured the first contact out fast."_ Mafin thought to her self as _the_ first text message came across the computer monitor.

_**"**_**W**_**ho attacked **_**our**_** colony?" **__S_traight to the point. They did not care about this first contact only who attacked them without provocation.

If she had known how panicked the Alliance command was about a two front war it would make sense they were going to strike this in the nub as fast as they could as hard as they could.

The text back into her computer.

_**"We did not, and it looks like the Batarians did."**_

"**W**_**ho?" **__I_n response to that she just E-mailed a page of the galactic codex about them. Silence for a few moments as they digested this new information. The next comment was.

"**W**_**ho did we shoot at?"**_

"_**Turians." **_another codex page was forwarded. Silence for a while then a officer said in surprises "Captain there send us a video chat."

"_A_lready?"

"_Y_es." _T_he screen she had been hovering over opened up to show the face of the race they had just met.

It looked like a male version of a Asari. Save having pink skin and fur on top of its head.

"I am captain Jackson of the Dragon class vessel Alexander and I wish to apologize for Emping your vessel."

"I'm captain Mafin'Elm Vas Wanderer and on behalf of the Migrant fleet I accept you apology. Its the Turians you should be worried about."

"My orders are to find the place that launched the raid and burn it to the ground. Diplomats will deal with the fallout." _H_e said with a slight smile and dismissive hand wave. "_C_an you tell us where to find it?"

"_Y_our going to have a hard time with that many Batarian planets practice slavery."

"Then we _will_ burn them all if they have one Alliance civilian."

W_ow. They were blunt._

"_G_ood luck with that, I mean it, so can we leave?" _S_he said almost nervously.

"I would prefer you did not. I expect a ambassador to arrive to help settle thing with the Turians when they come you should stay as representatives of the Quarian people. I think you should stay but you may leave."

She let out the breath she had held since prefer not.

"Thank you."

"_W_here's the nearest Batarian planet?" _S_he consulted her star charts for a second.

"Hegdmr." _S_he sent and sent him the location.

"_T_hank you for you help miss 'Elm Vas Wanderer." Jackson said back. The Alexander then began to move. The drives pushing it forward till the FTL engaged and it faded into a long blue streak.

"_W_ell now what?" Mafin said as she started to relax from the high tension situation.

SHIFT

The Alliance leaders were gathered to review some of Jacksons findings.

The current president, Rachel Knight was holding a conference with both Admiral Hackett, Supreme Masari commander Lord Charos, the Masari Queen Altea the Novus commander Mirabel, and the Military arc military commander Orlok.

"_S_o that how it stands Jackson engaged a Turian warship and Emp_ed_ a Quarian frigate though he was forgiven for that he is now en-route to the planet Hegdmr." Hackett finished his report.

"Thank you Hackett any idea how the Turians are going to react?"

"_B_adly if I was to put a guess. Even if they don't we best be ready for it."

"_E_asier said then done." Charos added "_Our_ crack units are lined up on the front and we can't rotate them back or the Hierarchy will find out and may attack. And I'm uneasy with the idea of engangeing a new galactic power with green troops."

"_W_e need to hit them hard." Orlok added "_O_r not at all. We can either dig _in_ and wait for them to come to us, and given how fortified _our_ worlds are that _is a_death trap just waiting for the blind and foolish, or attack back."

"_W_hy attack at all?" Mirabel countered "_T_his was a accident by, yes a skilled commander but ultimately a replaceable one. What _is_ the human saying? His ass is grass?"

"_H_old on there." Hackett said "I will admit that things got a bit out of hand but it _was_ my order to disable any ship on the other side if possible in case of this. That he encountered two ships not just one he could EMP was unfortunate but the fact remains it was by my orders. Jackson is a skilled officer, driven and will not rest till he finds _our_colonists."

"I did not mean to insult them _even if_ I would like to do so, I'm just saying that the Turians will likely ask for his court marshal or some other _form of_punishment."

"I agree with Mirabel peace is prefered to war. I will send an Emissary to the Catapult and they shall prevent the war. If the Turians ignore them they shall fall on _our_ guns _at _the other side of the Catapult."

"_T_hat brings us back to the recruit issue." Orlok said "_W_ill we call _back_ a crack group from the front or use a green force?"

"_W_e can do both." Hackett said with a finger snap. "_W_e can call on troops who have been rotated to the rear for R and R."

"_T_hings have been quiet, but we don't need all the troops." Rachel said

"_Y_es we can use this to _help the_ green troops _gain_ some experience _and help prepare us _for when the Hierarchy attacks. I doubt these guys have walkers." Hackett added

"_T_hat begs the question what can we expect?" Rachel asked again.

"_N_ot much." Orlok said "I've been on countless campaigns a few of them against other galactic empires and not one managed to use walkers or walker equivalents."

"_A_greed so we send some rear rotated regiments." Rachel said

"_T_hat will make you popular." Mirabel added as a after thought. Rachel ignored it _as_ Mirabel lacked a lot of what could be called discipline.

"That _is_ ground troops. What of space?" Charos asked

"_T_he only concentrated fleet in striking range is the newly built 14th Orion." Mirabel added after some quick military data bases searches.

"_N_ewly built in that they have raw hulls?" Orlok said.

"_Y_es they have not had a shake down quite yet they can hopefully do that on the way to the Relay. As long as there no issue to big for their machine shops." Mirabel added.

"I say we add some experienced fighters." Rachel said "_W_e can't afford to _have complete_rookies and the Fighters will compensate for the rawness of their hulls."

"_A_greed do we have a carrier group we can add?" Chaos added.

"_N_one in striking range. They're mostly on the front and the generals there will complain if we take one of there Avalanches."

"_W_hat about that new Hecate class that was supposed to enter service this year?" Queen Altea asked breaking her typical silence during military meetings.

"_O_ne of your hulls if i'm right?" Orlok asked.

With a return to space flight old designs for military ships were dug out of old Knowledge vaults, modified for human use and augmented with the Novus technology. The Hecate was one such vessel.

There were problems though new hulls always took more time to Nano lathe and _even more so for_ the especially complex Masari hulls. Especially since half the hull had to be gutted to fit in Novus equipment. But they were tougher _than_ the Novus designs even if they did not use the _same_ metals the Masari did.

"_Y_es. The three Hecate class ships are almost _complete_ but not for this conflict. I'm willing to risk tried ships designs even if the hulls are new but not new hulls and ships." Rachel Hackett finished.

"I see your point." Queen Altea said.

"What about _the_ bone yards? I see at least, 3,4 Glacier class ships in the Titan yards." Mirabel said as an AI platform brought the ships to her attentions.

"_T_hat might work." Hackett said. The Glaciers were not as big as the Avalanches and had less buffer room for point defense tech shells as well as less Nano lathing capability to make more along with less effective ECM systems and being incompatible with modern protocols operating systems.

But they were still carriers. And still powerful.

"Are Glaciers even compatible with modern Typhoon fighters?" Orlok asked

"_Y_es all modern fighters can be uploaded with programing to operate with all models of Carrier." Mirabel said.

"_W_hich fighter group should we deploy?" Rachel asked.

"_W_e have a number of crack flight groups on rear rotation we can use." Orlok said.

"_G_ood." Rachel said "_L_ooks like we hashed out _our_ issues."

"I'll start the deployment." Mirabel said and the hologram of her faded. Orlok left soon after leaving Hackett and Rachel with Lord Charos and Masari Queen Altea.

"Hackett start to get the fighter groups together I'll send the orders to recommission the Glaciers."

"_Y_es ma'am." _H_e said and his hologram faded and Rachel turned to Queen Altea.

"_W_ill any Masari craft be deployed?"

"_A_few. A pair of cruiser will guard the envoy." Altea said.

"_I_t is as Mirabel said none of _our_ ships save the home fleet are in range and a pair of cruisers are going to defend the Emissary."

"Thank you Altea." Rachel said and Altea smiled.

"_W_e are in this together there is nothing to thank." Rachel cut her hologram leaving the two Masari linked together.

"_D_o you think these three new race have found the ring?"

"I don't see why not." Altea said the smile long gone.

SHIFT

The Alexander emerged from FTL a fair distance from Hegdmr and engaged its inverter arrays cloaking the ship.

"_S_o do you have a plan Jackson?" Luna asked over the head set as Jackson stood on the command bridge

"_Y_es if this planet has slavery then I want you to hook in to their Internet.

"_A_nd _act_like a buyer?" Luna said if a AI could shiver she did so. "I feel slimy already."

"I thought you would enjoy the sight of organics on there knees?" Jackson joked.

"_as long as its you, so _get on em." _S_he said back. "_G_ive me five seconds and I'll log into their unsecured systems, and their secure ones if need be."

"Go get em." Jackson said.

SHIFT

"Go get em." he said

Hrump

Luna hated searching the Internet there was just so much junk that the hyper advance AI had to wade though. The extra net was just as bad. It was like swimming in sewage if she had to compare it.

Here it was worse with a half dozen sites offering slaves at discount prices. Stealing a copy of the galactic codex in the process she found the hidden files of some sort of slavering rings private exclusive catalogs. It was locked, member only access.

Took 20 seconds to break into. After a systemic virus attack failed to get fast results she swapped to a bot style crunch attack with ten thousand computers each trying a different combination till they were locked out of the system one by one.

The attack failed after five seconds as each computer was locked out. She then went to a different approach. Hacking into the less protected email list she then took that data and hacked them for one of their account codes after stealing one logged into the network.

She immediately found what she was looking for. Records of a new species was going up for sale in a week. That was what she needed. After crashing every server in the building she shifted her main processes to the Alexander.

SHIFT

Jackson had waited just about five minutes when Luna came back.

"_T_heir here. I don't know how many but their here."

"_G_ood gate some Assemblers on the planet and get some bases up hide them with Inverters."

"How high should I tech them?" Luna asked as the robotic constructors were lathed and assembled.

"_A_ll the way I want to drop a black hole on them if we must."

SHIFT

_I_t was night. No noise a small animal was creeping though the dark when suddenly a flash of blue light sent it scampering off.

A flat plane of energy emerged and from it walked the group of Assemblers, a few Ohm bots and Blade troopers.

The Assemblers AI processes looked around.

**/examining location...mineral deposits...confirm, wilderness.. confirm... beginning base construction/**

The Assemblers turned and began to build using stored matter as the base soon grew. In less then a night it would be finished with gates and flow fields. They then spread out to fill the country side with flow fields.

-Codex:Alliance Commanders-

President Rachel Knight: Elected in 2048 Rachel ran on a platform of increased military spending to combat the Hierarchy but also on social issues _such as_ rights for those mutated by Hierarchy radiation foremost among these. Rachel is the first women to hold the office of President and is often said to be an "Iron Maiden" for her willingness to put on political thumbscrews. It is unknown if she had been Synged.

Admiral Hackett: A famed military commander Hackett earned his fame in a number of risky attacks on Hierarchy worlds that each in turn succeded at one point taking on and winning a catapult assault while significantly out numbered due to his choice to over clock the ships processes. Has been Synaged with the targeting AI Grant.

Admiral Anderson: Admiral Anderson, once marshal once fought an entire walker platoon to a stand still with daring tactical _moves_ and the interesting deployment of local sink holes. Forcing the walkers to move over ground that was above massive caves the collapsing them leaving them open to artillery. Has been Synaged with the EDI AI Jun.

Anderson and Hackett are often called into the briefings to provide a career military view on subjects are such high rank then other Admirals and are privy to more classified secrets.

Lord Charos: Following the First contact war with the Hierarchy Lord Charos and the armys of the Masari were the the only line of defense against the return of the Hierarchy. Many historians note that it would have been easy for him to install a government dominated by the Masari but instead as per Altea's orders let the Humans develop the leading role in a three faction Alliance it is unknown his feelings on this subject and he has been tight lipped on it.

Queen Altea: Leader of the Masari Altea is a peaceful leader who regrets the war that is so costly to both sides. Though she knows it is a war the Hierarchy started and they will end. She is a calm leader often mitigating calls for war and plans that will inflict unnecessary hardship. She is often described as the moral soul of the Alliance.

Prince Zessus: The son of Queen Altea and a human early in the history of the Masari. Zessus is rash and very powerful with dark and light energy some whisper this is due to his half human nature and due to the emergence of a few other half humans this is becoming a very credible theory. Zessus prefers to be on the front of military operations helping troops hold the line with his powerful ability's once taking a Brute one on one and winning.

Mirabel: Though she shares a name she is not a clone of the original Mirabel, she is her daughter. Her father was general Moore. With her birth and Mirabel's request to no longer be recloned the AI processes of Novus went into contemplation and decided to make the new Mirabel the heir of Novus. She has only recently taken this role and so far is doing a good job in a poll of all AI's though the fact they may be programed to say that does not escape the pollers. Has been Synaged with the AI Victor.

Orlok: Originally a Hierarchy commander Orlok eventually rebelled against the Hierarchy in the first contact war with the aid of Zessus, and was defeated. His body, more machine the organic at this point, was left to rust on the battle field not even with the dignity of a grave. When the first contact war was over Zessus went to find the body of his comrade, only to find there was some life in his processors. As a personal favor of Novus he asked if they could revive him. They did so.

When they did so Orlok requested being put in a combat form to aid the fight against the Hierarchy. To this day rumors in the Hierarchy speak of the commander who fights not for power, but for the freedom of the Grunt, the Brute, and the Glyph carver.


	4. Build up

_**Beepen beep! I am sorry! i just noticed a screw up in the uploading I am fixing it righ tnow!**_

_**BOLD leaning type: text messages.**_

_Leaning_:thoughts

**/Bold with slashs/**_**:non sentint AI Thoughts.**_

_**Retcon: Now edited by Halo token**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>T minus 6 days to Invasion.<strong>_

Native to New Mississippi Henry was a hunter, sword enthusiast and a marine.

He was on leave from a tour on the front line and was currently tending his garden just outside of his house.

"_If that damn dog digs up my flowers one more time I'm going to place landmines out for it._" _H_e muttered. The neighbours dog always managed to turn a relaxation into a vexation.

"_M_orning Henry." _H_e looked up to see his mail man drop some letter in his box.

"Morning anything for me?"

"Something for every one today its like every Marine on this blocks gotten a letter with a big government stamp on it." Henry looked up f_ro_m his flowers to him that meant one thing.

"_T_here mustering us out?"

"_Y_ou_r_ not the first to say that but I have no clue. I just hope it_s_ good news." _H_e looked down the block of military housing in the base. "_T_o many of these homes are empty." _H_e nodded _and_ went to the next house while Frank walked over and pulled the letter out and opened it up.

**Letter to: Frank Douglass**

**From: Human military department**

**You are hereby ordered to report to a mustering station **_**in preparation to deploy**_**. There will be a week drilling period and then you will enter the quantum gate to your deployment. All facility's will be provided.**

Frank crumpled the letter in his hands _not_ out of rage but recognition .

Time to fight. And as a marine he was itch'en for it. Rest was good. The chance to fight for humanity _was_ better.

SHIFT

_**T minus 5 days to Invasion.**_

The next day he was at the army infantry assembler. In his hand he held a flash drive equivalent that held his personal data. There was a long line forming up and he soon joined it.

For hours the Assembler processed the people and the day was getting hot. In two hours he was inside the air conditioned building one more and he was in front of the line.

''Next." He walked upto the administrator. Behind the administrator were 12 doors that each lead to a_n_assembler. He looked at him.

"Name?"

"Frank Douglass." _H_e responded.

"_R_ank?"

"Private."

"Regiment?"

"88th Terran Marines."

"_G_ood. Your in the right place." _H_e said "_S_erial number?"

"623-563-432-000-C Series."

"_G_ood your drive?" _H_e handed it to him and he plugged it into his computer.

"_G_ood enter chamber eight please. Next."

Frank nodded and walked behind the administrator desk into the door with the number eight on it.

Inside was the Nanolather that would make his armor to the flash drives specification. As the door shut behind him he shed his civilian clothing and folded them up and placed them in a locker. They would be taken to his house latter. He put them in a locker a_nd_ pulled a set of combat leathers, as they were called, out.

He quickly changed into the skin tight memory foam suit that would help control the armored suit.

Once _it was on_ he wait_ed_ for the computer to know he was ready. Then the Lather activated.

Six robotic arms unfolded from the ceiling an AI voice spoke over _the_ speakers.

"_A_rms out please." _H_e did so as the Lathers went to work. Nanobot_s_ flowed in a mist over his body and light beams worked them into _a_ solid form. As one the silvery form took place as robotic servos and armor took form.

Beams danced and played over his body and armor grew from the mist of raw minerals around him. From plate after plate came to be as the impartial robotic arms grew the shell around him as one solid single formed piece.

Arms extended placing _the forged_ pieces on_to_ him. Locking down as nanobots fused the plates together and merged the armor into a single form fitting piece.

The beams crept up his body, armor forming behind it as the nanobots created the armor.

30 minutes _later_ his armor had almost finished latheing.

His armor was currently locked up and his arms still stuck out to his side as he waited for the last component to be _installed_.

A set of arms from behind carefully installed the last component. A Masari made matter engine to provide power to the suit. As energy went though the suit the armor finally _released_ its lock down and the arms fell to his side and he rolled his shoulders. The last parts were lathed together on his back and finally the Vengeance suit was ready for war.

The armor was the dark Black almost purple of a veteran, within the armor he was 7 feet tall, and weighed almost a ton. His helmet was a solid formed piece of metal with a face mask over half of it that was currently folded away. He took a step and flexed his fingers as he ran the suit though a combination of diagnostics and simple stretches as h_e_ made sure his armor was fully functional.

"_P_lease move along Infantry assembler eight is open." _T_he AI said once the diagnostics were complete. Frank nodded and left just as another man entered in his place.

The back of the building opened straight to a army drill ground. Already a squad of marines still in gun metal gray were running the track and judging by the way they tripped they weren't used to the added size there suits gave them.

Frank walked down the small set of stairs his HUD lit up showing him where to go next the army barracks. The real training would start tomorrow.

"Frank!" _H_e turned to see a marine with Green camo armor and a large red mustache walk up and put his out hand for him to shake.

"Arron!" _H_e grabbed it. "_B_een a while."

"_C_an't _have_ be_en_ more then a month." _H_e said back "_D_id_n't _know you were rotated back here we should have had a drink together or something!"

"Knowing you we would have been found three days later lost in a junk yard."

"It only happened once!" _H_e said with a smile on his face. It had never happened but any one listening had no clue of that.

"_D_o you know why we're being mustared out?" Frank asked and Arron twitched his mustache since he could not twirl it with fingers as big as beer cans within the armor.

"_N_ot a damn clue. Brass keepen it quite. Still I don't like how many Gunnys are here." _H_e said pointing at some of the marines in gunmetal gray running the track. One of them tripped before the_ir_eyes. Not over anything but his own feet.

"_T_hey better learn or there just be coffin stuffers." Frank said looking at the "Gunny's" or the new recruits. Called Gunnys due to the gun metal color of there armor before it got camouflage.

"_Y_a. You want that drink?" Arron asked.

"_N_o thank you I don't want to get drunk when I have to go train tomorrow I think I_'ll_ look the Gunnys over."

"_G_ood luck with that." Arron said and walked off to get that drink. Frank rolled his shoulders under his heavy armor a familiar feeling and went to go watch some bayonet drills.

SHIFT

_**T minus 4 days to Invasion.**_

The base on Hegdmr was up and basic combat units were up mostly Ohm bots, a few Blade troopers, a pair of hackers and a couple _of_ antimatter tanks. The Assemblers went to work expanding the flow network.

A Assembler, unit A-04 was put up a new conduit tower when sounds drew it attention. Pushing slightly though the underbrush the camouflaged robot saw a _strange scene_.

A Batarian had set up some sort of hunting cottage or something. Currently it was berating some unknown alien on the ground for a mistake. Given the strewn fire starting components that would appear to mean he had dropped it.

**/Unit A-04 reporting:Batarian slave owner perilously close to optimum flow route./**

/Confirm./

the reply came back.** /Dispatching Ohms/**

_T_he three units emerged just behind the Assembler three minutes latter. The first robot exited the wood just behind the Batarian the slaves eyes went wide in shock. The Batarian spun to face the mechs but they responded with a quick bust with there Flechette rifles slicing him down without a thought.

"_W_ho are you?" _T_he Salarian asked the first Ohm bot _which_reached down and picked him up since he did not want to walk when first prompted.

"Novus." _T_he bot said back in a flat monotone. They then entered the tower and flowed away. A network of collectors flew over next erasing any trace of the cabin on the monocular scale harvesting the resources for Novus.

SHIFT

_**T minus 3 days to Invasion.**_

Frank gripped the massive RR-88 rifle as he took aim down the firing range. With a squeeze of the trigger massive two inch diameter tech shells riddled the cut out Grunt down range slicing it apart.

He smiled as he stood up.

"Glad to know I've got the rust off my saber." _T_he range was filled with the crack of assault rifles, battle rifles, DMRs and a few long rang sniper rifles as men both veterans and Gunnys learned how to shoot with skill.

One such Gunny was practically holding down the trigger as he sprayed the targets the banging of his large assault rifle sounding impressive but not good at all.

Frank counted down in his head.

_5...4...3...2...1 _he snapped his fingers.

"_W_hat are you doing!" the firing ranges drill sergeant said practically stomping over. And when you weigh a ton in armor you can really stomp.

"Sir I,,"

"_W_as over heating you_r_ damn gun!" _T_he sergeant grabbed the rifle and took aim and three seconds latter all of the targets were down. "_Y_ou fire in five round bursts or not at all! Save the full auto A team shooting for tanks and APC's!"

"_W_hat about Walkers sir?" a second Gunny said, his eyes never leaving his battle rifle as he fired at targets. The semi auto thumping taking a plastic brute out with every shot.

"First: thats some damn fine shooting son keep it up. Second: standard infantry Walker protocol is run away while you drop artillery on it. If you have to shoot you rifle at it you've already lost."

He shoved the Rifle back into the First Gunnys hand and walked off to yell at some recruit who was fighting his HUD.

Frank loaded the rifle onto a rack at the back of the range then drew a heavy machine gun to get some more rust off.

Never knew who would live or die. You might have to use the heavy weapon your self.

SHIFT

_**T minus 3 days to Invasion.**_

The 14th Orion moved through space. The heavy glow of their drives lighting all views to the outside.

"_L_eaving FTL in three two," _T_he flag ship of the fleet, the Star gazer class Dreadnought Glory was the first out of FTL a full second early.

The other ships arrived around it a few seconds latter.

"_W_ere we the only one on the mark?" Admiral Lance said with a growl.

"_U_mm we were a second earlier." _An_ensign said timidly.

"_R_ecalibrate _our_systems I want to be able to drop out on the millisecond."

"Sir we're wanted at the Catapult soon." _T_he Ensign said as he looked some reports over.

"I_'d_ rather be late with all ships 100% then on time with the ships batting 50%. _N_ow start Calibrating we make _our_ next jump in five hours." _O_rder_'s_ flew over the fleet as ships started to work on getting the_ir_drive cores fully working.

"_A_nd were are my Carriers?" Lance said looking over the holographic display.

"The Glaciers are undergoing shake down runs within the Sol system there be at the Catapult a day after we are." _H_is AI said in his head.

"Thank you Georgia." _T_he AI gave a burst of static, the same as a nod when you don't have a hologram. Lance looked the holomap over showing where each ship was and _their_ status. Inward_ly_ he was groaning this fleet was so new the paint was still wet. Hell some of them didn't even have paint.

Still they were tough ships but experience was the factor in war it could mitigate any advantage or disadvantage. They had proven it many times. Time to see if they could take it being on the other foot.

SHIFT

_**T minus 3 days to Invasion.**_

The Salarian looked out a window as the group of mechs moved though the base scanning for targets.

It had been 24 hours since his rescue and so far they put him in a real comfortable room, given some odd noddles that did not taste half bad and a computer terminal on the desk. Took a while to get use to the key board and the mouse but he got it.

Yelna sighed this was better but by how much? The door beeped and he turned to face it. In walked a small organic. Small in comparison to the Krogan of a mech behind him. The organic looked like a male Asari with fur on his head and some kind of pistol folded up on his belt. Though it was anemic compared to the bruiser of a rifle the Mech had. He had half his face replaced with some silvery metal. A wound?

He touched the side of his head activating some kind of translator.

"_T_esting, testing, can you understand me? Repeat." _H_e pointed at him and he nodded said it back.

"_G_ood systems working." _H_e sat down on the table and gestured for him to sit across from him.

"_W_ho are you?"

"I am Spec Op trooper Willem. And we need to know more about the Batarians."

"_W_hat are you?" Willem chuckled.

"Human, took a radiation blast couple years back but I came out ok. We normally have less steel on_ our_ outsides." _H_e rubbed his face and the sensors flipped out as he did so unconsciously.

"_U_mm." Yelna almost stuttered as he thought of what to say "So your a new race?"

"_Y_ou could say that and the Batarians opened first contact up by raiding and enslaving one of _our_ colony's. Sucks to be them."

"_I_f all you mechs are as big as them I agree." _H_e pointed to the big one in the room who chuckled.

"I ain't a Mech." The helmet visor slide away revealing the man underneath.

"I am a marine."

"_W_hat the hell do you fight!" Yelna said looking the massive man over. The marine smiled no need to embellish the truth.

"_V_ehicles bigger then buildings."

"_N_ow you're trying to impress me." Yelna said eying the armor over. Already impressed.

Willem smiled as well. "Believe what you want. Now about the Batarians you ever seen any one like us?"

"What do you plan on doing?" Yelna asked.

"_B_urning them from the planet if we need to."

"Good, and no I have never seen any one like you."

Willem seemed to think this over.

"_H_ow much do you know about the weapons they deploy?"

"_N_othing. I can say this much the_ir_ guns are tiny compared to yours and there _isn't any form of _armor quite like yours."

"_H_umm." Willem nodded. "_V_ehicles?"

"I don't know. I'm just an omni tool repair man I don't know about weapons."

"_O_k thank you for the help." _H_e stood up.

"_O_ne thing. When do you attack?"

"_W_e'll be ready soon. A few more days then we hit them."

SHIFT  
><em><strong>T minus 2 days to Invasion.<strong>_

The Masari emissary ship: Unity and the twin Aretia class Cruisers, Fate and Punishment, dropped from FTL around the Catapult a day after Admiral Lance ships had.

They had currently had the_ir_ Inverters set to stealth. But they could see _each other_.

"Captain the Glory is hailing us." Captain Ilen nodded and the ensign put Lance's face on the main screen.

"_C_aptain Ilen we will be guarding this side of the Catapult. _Our_orders are to fire at anything that emerges from the Catapult unless you tell us about a ship we are not to shoot at. confirm?"

"Confirmed Admiral. I hope your guns don't have to fire at anything.

"_A_greed. But if its war they want then we will give it to them." The three Masari ships approached the Catapult and flared across it.

_**T minus 1 day to Invasion.**_

A shadow crept though the city. Stealth field up Willem sneaked through the city. Pausing momentarly he raised his arm the inbuilt sensors on his armor scanning for human life signs. He found one and faded into the night.

SHIFT

Chris sat under the barred window to the dungeon pit the slaves were held in. Tomorrow was the day he would be sold the four eyed squint had laughed about it saying he would earn him a lot of money.

Helmi sat down next to him. She looked at him "_S_till think the army will come and save you before they ship you to Omega?"

Chris almost growled no one had believed him when he told them about the Alliance army much less the Masari.

"If they don't they'll still turn this place into a parking lot."

"ya I." a voice cut her off.

"_A_ny humans in here?" Chris almost lept up and spun around to look in the face of the solider.

Helmi followed behind him slower though. "_W_ho are you?" She asked as other slaves woke up.

"Spec op trooper Willem Logan Philip." _H_e said. "_W_e're going to launch _our_attack tomorrow how many humans are there?"

"_O_ne just me." Chris said back "_B_ut we can't just leave every one here."

"_D_on't plan to." Willem said "_B_ut your _our_ priority." _H_e slid a pair of small pistols though the bars. "M8 light pistol with Shredder protocol give them to people with military training good for 48 shots before the buffer gives out."

Helmi who had been frozen stiff spoke "_W_ait so everything this guy said about your army was true?"

"Don't know what he said." Willem said and then his cloaking activated and he disappeared.

Chris turned back to Helmi with a smug look but thats it no I told you so's. "_W_ho here was in the army?" _A_ pair of Turians raised the_ir_ hands.

SHIFT

_**T minus 8 hours to Invasion.**_

Frank was calibrating his rifle. He was checking the systems of the rifle. Everything had to run perfectly no matter how clogged the thing got with mud and blood. And given how often he had to use a bayonet that was always possible.

He leaned against the flow conduit as he worked he expected a briefing over his HUD any moment now along with the rest of the troops on the base.

His HUD light turned green and the briefing started in the flat monotone of a original Novus AI.

"_A_lmost a week and a half ago we lost contact with a colony on the edge of _our_ space. Investigators found this was not a Hierarchy attack." _H_e said biting off the murmurs.

"_An_ unknown race attacked us and enslaved the colonists, we have traced them back to the planet there are at least some humans on. You will flow on planet, rejoin with your regiments and proceed to build up for the attack and take the city we are flowing you just outside of."

"There are three citys to be taken on this small world each city will get a pair of regiments a veteran and a raw force. Expect some tanks for support flow begins in one hour. Report to your conduit."

The order flashed across the base over the intercom and the stomping of marines fill the base as they moved to the_ir_ locations.

Frank tapped a button on his gun and it folded up _into a _smaller _form_and locked it over his shoulder. He then held his arm up in front of him as the outer layer began to shift color as the one molecule thick layer of nanobots put a coat of reactive camouflage on in a combinations of gray and darker gray.

"_D_amn urban." Frank said those were always bad. He did some last minute uploads getting all the protocols he would need.

Midway though a button push the conduit activated and everyone around the tower disappeared. Broken apart by nanobots and flowed though the network at almost light speed. They were flowed into the quantum gate and emerged a half second later almost 200 light years away.

Frank emerged from the conduit pushed his button looked up and found everything was different.

"I hate when they do that." _H_e closed the panel on his arm and pulled his assault rifle out as the computers readied another flow to get him into position.

On the hills over looking the city artillery battery gated in earlier were loaded up. A marine slammed a buffer into the breach good for five massive shells. He activated his radio.

"_A_rty ready."

_R_esting on the ground _were the_ air crews of Dervishes waiting in the_ir_ planes a few were running combat simulations. When there computers flashed. And they were put on stand by. The flight group was ready.

Tanks flowed into position around the city as the sun began to rise. Troops moved to position and awaited orders to attack.

They would get it soon.

-Codex:Vengeance Armor.-

The Power armor system known as the MKIII Vengeance armor is the latest development of power armor systems. Built to combat the heavy Hierarchy troops known as Grunts.

With almost seven inches of slopping armor made of a combination of Novus Nanosteels and interwoven with small pieces of Masari metal the Vengeance has an equivalent thickness of 80 inches of slopping steel on its frontal chest plate.

The armor also has at least five different kinetic fields. The first one runs though the main chest components, the second and third are in the larger plates in the arms. The fourth and fifth run within the leg armor. These integrity fields maintain protection of the suit and run between the layers of Nanosteel and help add to the strength of the armor though they are far weaker then the primary shielding and can only assist the standard armor plating. Along with a full primary shield unit the Vengeance armor gives the standard human marine the protection of a small council battle tank.

The suits also contains a linked medi bot dispenser built to ward off the effect of intense radiation they also allow rapid healing as the nanobots stitch wounds together under the armor and fix broken and cracked bones.

The sheer amount of power these suits require is provided by a Masai given matter engine. Incredibly small the 20 pound matter engine provides all the energy needed for the suit and allows the humans to fight Grunts 20 to one. The problem is that for the most part the shielding is redundant given the Hierarchy use of plasma and radioactive weapon. The shielding stops the plasma but the radiation and heat makes it though. Luckily the impact is far less if the plasma had hit at the same time.

A common nickname for the Vengeance suits is the Nerd Dream given the number of similarity's between it and the Star Craft marine suit and a number of prototypes have used the Starcraft idea of far heavier suits called marauders so far none have been accepted.


	5. Attack

_**Chapter four and here the first ME histroy change with the Kretzen tell me what you guys think?**_

**_also if i make franks adventure in the Batrain home a bit, skimpy on detiles, forgive me i got a bit nervious puting torutue to papaer._**

_**BOLD leaning type: text messages.**_

_Leaning_:thoughts

**/Bold with slashs/**_**:non sentint AI Thoughts.**_

_**Retcon: Now edited by Halo token**_

* * *

><p>The city was a stronghold of pirates and slavers and so had defense works in the form of bunkers each with heavy weapons any attacker would have to run a gauntlet of heavy fire before attacking the city proper.<p>

Two guards in the inter ring of bunkers overlooking a road into the city were sharing a drink as they played a card game. The sun just peaking though there fire slit.

The first one slammed his cards down in frustration.

"I swear you play with a loaded deck!"

"Its your deck!"

"_Y_ou swap the decks!"

"I didn't your just mad cuz I keep winning your Sclion face is the worse I have ever seen!"A flash out side the bunkers fire slit drew their attention and they ran to look.

They were just in time to see the black hole form.

Howling like a hurricane it drew in bunkers shredding them apart as they entered the event horizon and were spaghettifyed ripping apart at the very atomic scale.

The bunker the two of them were in shook and cracked but held out long enough for the bomb to run its course.

The silence that followed was deafening. "What hell was that? A black hole?"

Before an answer could come back a pounding of heavy weapons roared out and they looked to see a band of armored troops move up the road trading fire with the bunkers as if they were armed with BB guns for all the harm it did to them.

The radios were alive with screams and chatter of guns.

"Come on!" _T_he first one said unfolding a sniper rifle as the other took hold of a heavy machine gun and began to fire a long scything burst.

SHIFT

The sniper eyed down the scope of his massive rifle and fired once blowing the whole head off the one using the machine gun followed by a his buddy looking though his scope.

"_B_lew the buggers gun apart." _H_e commented as he locked another buffer of 25 shells into place. The massive sniper rifle, the closest you could get to a hand held anti walker weapon. He took aim again looking for tanks as he was suppose to do.

SHIFT

Frank pounded up the road heavy armor taking bullet easily. The_ir_ guns were tiny! He stormed up to the bunker ignoring the gun going full auto into his shield and armor. He threw a grenade into it and backed away.

The grenade sprayed fragments all over the bunker killing every one inside of it. Sprinting around the bunker he became the first human to meet a Krogan in combat.

With a bash of its arm it forced him back struggling for balance.

To Frank a Krogan in full armor looked a bit like a bulked up Grunt with a smaller gun.

In full armor the Krogan roared at him and fired his shotgun at him blearing his shields. Not even bothering with shooting him he unlocked his bayonet sliding out the end of his gun with a snick and charged.

"Bout time some one knew how to fight!" _T_he Krogan yelled side stepping the bayonet and head butting the Marine.

Not even slowing he dropped the gun and stepped closer and the two fell to the ground wrestling. Frank manged to get on top first and landed a heavy handed blow on the Krogans helmet cracking it with a single punch.

Roaring the Krogen swung his weight round and the two were on the_ir_ feet again, hunched over but standing glaring at each other. Frank moved first drawing a combat knife he lunged the Krogan roared and lept again the knife smashed into a shoulder pad with a twisting move the pad fell off and he stabbed down again twisting with each stab like he would for a Grunt or Brute.

With a bellow of pain the Krogan swung his fist into him staggering him back he then looked around and drew his shotgun off the ground and Frank got his rifle.

The two spun and the barrels pointing at each others face.

The Krogen fired first and his shotgun blew a fair chunk of shield off him.

Franks shot three shots in the time it took him to fire again and blew his shield, armor, and spleen out.

Frank walked over to the now dead Krogan. It was the first sentient he had killed that was not a Grunt, Lost one or Brute. He was a bit conflicted till he remembered his job.

With a nod to the dead being he stepped over him and fired at the next bunker in his way spraying suppressive fire to cover his fellows advance.

Marines easily made the_ir_ way into the city finding the Batarians pea shooters to be just that, pea shooters.

Anything that made it though the_ir_ shields found their armor hard and at the ready for anything they soon were in the city proper.

SHIFT

The Masari emissary ship: Unity and the twin Aretia class Cruisers, Fate and Punishment, dropped from the Catapult lunched FTL.

"Jump complete my lord." Captain Arensus nodded "Drift under a 1,000 Kilometers, good."

"Sir we have found the Wander were the Alexander said it would be though there are five other signatures as well."

"_G_ood commence jump." The three ships soon activated there drives and lept forword.

SHIFT

The Quarian captain found her self standing in front of the Turian captain Zelmen on his ship.

"You say you were attacked by a completely unknown race, with a completely unknown weapon for a unknown reason?"

"Expect for the Reason part sir, yes."

"_A_nd you expect me to believe that?" He said calmly with a small hint of hate.

"But sir we have there compleat first contact package."

"You Quarian are all lier's and thieves I would sooner believed a Vorcha!" He was getting in her face, or mask as the case may be. "It clear to me your pirates and you faked this whole thing!"

"Sir I,," Mafin began only to be put on the ground but a punch to the stomach. "I had enough of you lies." The Turian said as the Marine, Helmin he thought his name was tried to attack him as the two guard to either side held his arms in place.

"You bosh'tet! You have no right to physical assault us!"

"Your word against my bucket head." He said "_A_nd seeing as how you going to be convicted of piracy it won't matter."

"Sir." The intercom lit up.

"Yes?"

"_A_pair of unknown cruisers approaching with a small frigate have dropped out of FTL near are position they are hailing us."

"Us?"

"_W_ell more like there broadcasting the fact they want talk to us over a laser communication to who ever_"_The lord of the force before us is"."

"Odd choice of words, I get to you later." He said to the pair of Quarians and he walked to the bridge.

Once there he gave orders.

"Open communications tell them we're in charge."

"_Y_es sir." Then a follow up. "_S_ir there hailing us specifically."

"I want scans on there ship while I communicate. Open the link."

The image that appeared threw him a bit. A tall pale Asari with odd fur on its head wearing some kind of robes in a almost plush suite.

"_G_reetings Captain I am the ambassador of the Masari people and representative of Queen Altea among foes and friends Qetzen, may peace between are people ring for a thousand years."

Captain Zelmen had to think fast this was a first contact! He would have to decide what to do with the Quarians latter.

"I am Captain Zelmen of the Turian Hierarchy, if peace is what you wish then why did you attack one of our patrol cruisers?"

"We did not." Qetzen said with a shake of her head "our Allies the Humans did so along with there Novus allies. They did so out of misguided fear. One of their colony's had been raided by unknown aliens and so they targeted the first ships they saw. To disable not kill I should add."

She was spitting out so many unknown words and concepts at once it was frustrating.

"Back up, who are you?"

"The Masari."

"Novus?"

"Those who follow in there tongue." _S_he said glad these were going smoothly.

"Humans?"

"There like us only but different, it is hard to explain." She said.

Zelmen shock his head this was getting him no where a cry from his right drew his attention.

"Excuse me." He raised his hand and the link cut out. He turned to the officer who had the open codex page before him.

"Got it! The word Novus meaning those who follow, is the language of the Kretzen!"

"The Kretzen? They been banished from Citadel space for thousands of years your telling me they join with these humans?"

"Seems so." _T_he officer turned to face Zelmen.

"What now?" Zelmen flared his mandibles. "Do we have scans of there ships yet?"

"No sir something playing havoc with are scanners its like a thin layer of something coating the_ir_ships."

"_R_ight put the link back up." He waited for them to do so. As he composed himself he had to turn this his way. They had shot at ships of the Hierarchy and they had to pay for that. Not to mention they had to explain their relation with the Kretzen a race banned from space due to there forbidden practices and disregard of common morality.

The link came back on."Currently I have no idea what believe or disbelieve until them all of your ships will be under the custody of the Turian Hierarchy."

"I fear that is not possible. My escorts would sooner let death overtaken them then let you overtake me." She shook her head. "I am willing to remain here and answer any questions you may or may not have."

"I fear," Zelmen said putting a sneer on it "That is not possible my duty means I take any suspicions vessels in for questioning and the three of you, openly admitting to be allies of the Kretzen are more suspicions then some slaving ships."

Her face was confused. "Kretzen, we do not know of this word."

"Don't play stupid Qetzen I don't think you any more then a pirate and your queen is anything less, " _A _voice interrupted him and the screen sliced in half showing a very stern looking man in odd armor on a command bridge.

"_C_hoose you next words carefully. They will determine your life span."

"Who the hell are you?" Zelmen said frustrated.

"I am Captain Arensus of the cruiser Punishment."

"_W_ell _Captain _Arensus you now guilty of threating a officer of the Turian navy." _T_he laugh he got was not what he expected.

"I've been threated by those with true power. You have none."

"I am the captain and commander of a task force almost double your own what do you have to that?" _H_e said furious. The answer was surprising.

"Abalanced mind." Arensus said with a growl.

"_W_ha?" He said confused all the wind gone from his sails.

"your mind is full of shadows and darkness. For proper balance one must have both thoughts light and dark." Qetzen added.

"Spare me you meta physics. Your under arrest."

"Thank carefully on your actions." Qetzen said "Your actions now will effect all of history before our three people. Your choice stand before you. Do you wish to cause a generation of pain and hate for each side? Do you wish history from this time to the day the stars dim and the Void comes to kill us all to remember you as the captain who started this war? Can you with stand the judgment of your peers, and those not yet born?"

"I think I can handle it." Zelmen said.

"Let the history show who fired the first shot in this war." Qetzen said and the screen showing her shut off.

Leaving Zelmen to stare at Arensus. "This is you last chance stand down now or you will die. If not by my hands then by others bearing my mantel, my wrath and my name at there lips."

"Who are you to threaten me!" Zelmen yelled back.

"I am Arensus! Captain of the Masari! While your kind were single celled my kind had an empire that stretched the length and breadth of space! While you had back bones we had Battle ships. While you had gills we were gods!"

"I've heard enough." Zelmen said as the link was cut.

_We were gods. Hump what a load of Vorcha shit._ Zelmen thought to him self.

"_A_ll ships advance I want the frigate taken alive. Kill the other two."

The Turans advanced forward as the Masari fell back. The cruiser Fate moved forward and placed it self between the Unity and the Turians as the cruiser Punishment moved forward to cover there retreat.

Lunching a massive slug at the Punishment Zelmen watched in horror as it just bounced off for all the damage it did. No cruiser should be able to take a spinal mass driver shot that easily! The beams of black light that sliced out of the ship soon had him more worried.

Lancing out the Black beams sliced into the Turian ships to either side in the battle ship equivalent of twin wielding.

Energy blasts cut to either side as the Punishment lashed out to any who dare oppose it.

Zelmen jaw was almost on the floor. He was pouring fire into it and it would not die! "Sir the Frigates escaping!"

Zelmen had to watch as it and it escort lept to FTL leave the Punishment behind. It was just beginning to fall back when suddenly the ship flash as a purple corona around it faded away showing the ship to be more of a dull grayish green rather then the black he thought.

"Sir something happened the ships armor faded some how and I can get scans of it."

"Screw that open fire! All guns!" _T_aking opportunity the five cruisers pounded its hull with blast after blast carving holes into it and scaring its side.

Finally Zelmen thought _I'm winning. _The ships though proved very fast. Engines glowing dark purple it sped away from him lunching salvo after salvo behind it. Energy ripping into the Turians who shields were nothing.

At last the Punishment lept to FTL finally escaping the scene.

"Sir what now?" _H_e turned to the officer.

"We send word back to command and tell them were at war. We send a fleet though relay and take them out."

"Sir what did they mean when they said they were gods?" _A _nervous officer asked.

"They are trying to scare us. I need to speak to the Quarians again they better tell us more about the Kretzens."

SHIFT

Bullets rang and pinged off armor and cover as the Human marines had formed a firing line in the street as they took cover in every piece of cover they could find.

Franks gun hammered a long suppressive burst, the only time full auto was a good idea.

The Sergeant was front and center taking shots with his battle rifle completely punching holes though the Batarians cover the heavy gun was built to kill Brutes. Their thin cover was nothing to the AP round the gun spat out.

Frank stood up and fired a burst from his gun eying his shields as there bullets smacked into his shield. He ducked down to let them recover. He called his sergeant on his squad radio.

"Sir their guns are anemic we could likely run up and smack them with our guns."

The sergeant stood up and let a few rounds hit him and ducked down again.

"Agreed. Everyone stop shooting when your shields get to full report in." A few seconds later every one did report in.

"On my mark we charge them." A few odd words came over the radio the idea of a charge foreign to the veterans. "They're not Grunts getting close won't kill you. Their guns are pathetic."

A few more uncommitted grunts. But bayonets did slide out of guns.

"On my mark. NOW" The sergeant was the first out of cover and the squad soon followed gun screaming as they charged forward. The Batarians weapons soon began to over heat in their panic as they blazed full auto at the human armored infantry.

They soon were close enough to use their blades. Frank's bayonet smashed into a Batarian he calmly lifted the gun flipping the Batarian over his shoulder bringing the gun butt down on a unprotected face crushing the skull with a single well placed blow.

Gun now down he brought it round in a sweep that slit a Batarian throat.

"Squad coming closer!" The Marines soon began to pour fire into the Batarians who had been running to support the force they just annihilated. Guns hammering the squad were cut down no match for marines who had years of war under their belts.

"Oorah!" Frank yelled as he sprayed into the squad with ease.

SHIFT

Gun fire lanced upward as the Dervish lay a bombardment of antimatter shells on the ground as it flew fast and lower over the city. The pilot Lucy twisted the agile plane left at the last second dodging an anti air missile.

A set of antimatter shells blew the launcher apart.

"Good going Veln!" She said to her AI as the plane spun around and began bombarding targets they had just flown over as they flew backward.

"Alert hostile aircraft inbound." A burst of gun fire raced around them to punctuate the point. "Alert missile lock." The gunship soon launched a wave of rockets that wizzed though the air.

"Flares!" She thought over the AI mind machine interface and the Dervish soon spat out flares that hid the plane in a wave of blackout bombs. The missiles completely confused lost track of the plane and the Dervish spun around at lightning speeds.

A spray of antimatter round flew out at the gunship which it withstood with its shields. Another spray of rockets flew out this time with a machine gun burst.

"Targets locked, possibility of escape minimal." The AI said

"I know. Activate FTL two clicks." The ship flashed blew as the Element Zero core flashed and the ship launched it self forward at almost light speed the gunship pilot in shock they had a jump ship in ground battles? The Dervish once out of contact range stopped. Spining around it flew back at STL but still fast. The inertia dampeners allowing her to withstand the speed and moves.

Antimatter gun spitting shells out it pumped the still confused gunship and exploded with a flash blowing the thing apart.

SHIFT

In orbit the Batarians were under assault by most of the Dervish air force. The Dervish was a space fighter and it showed as they ripped the ships apart leaving the Batarians to go what the hell was going on? As the Batarians got reports the last piece entered the war. The Alexander.

Guns blazing the Alexander decloaked rail guns hammering a tempo of death as it carved through ships confused and off balance by the wings of fighters they took casualty's.

Ships crumpled under the assault and the air was soon clear of any orbital bombardment threat.

SHIFT

"Frank you and Arron secure that building." The sergeant pointed to an almost mansion structure.

"Yes sir." The two of them said and soon pounded into the building. Folding there assault rifles up and drawing much smaller automatic pistols.

"I say we just kick the damn door in." Arron said with almost a sneer.

"Oorah to that good buddy." Frank stopped before the door and with a single blow kicked it in. A hail of bullets rang into them and they countered with there smaller pistols. Submachine guns to be honest.

The guns buzzed a warcry as they moved in.

Blood pack mercs were all over the room behind furniture the the only cover the house had. The two marines though sent a sputtering hail of bullets sputtering everywhere riddling the home with bullet holes.

The blood pack held as long as they could but the two elite marines cut them apart. Even with no cover their armor, built to fight Grunts, did its job and they had secured the entry into the home.

"You go low I'll go high." Arron said and moved up the stairs and Frank moved though the lower part of the building.

Moving into the kitchen he kept alert looking around corners looking for targets. He had to kick open another door. They never used door knobs it seems and looked down the hall way a Batarians civilian judging by his clothing was in the hall way shakily hold a gun one handed pointed at his chest.

Ignoring him and cursing his own stupidly he opened his arm panel again and began to download the Language pack he had forgotten suddenly the mans almost chipmunk whale squeaks turned into words.

"Back off or I shoot!"

"Son I have a bigger gun, bigger armor and an attitude to use it. You put your gun down. NOW!" He yelled the last word the submachine gun pointing at the guys head though the laser dot may have been over kill.

He dropped the pistol and Frank marched over activating his squad radio.

"Hay Arron what does are order say about prisoners?"

"Not sure taken him to the sergeant he'll give you an answer."

"Right." Then to the Batarian. "Lets move." His mechanically amplified voice almost booming.

He was about to move when a faint noise drew his attention to a old fashion steel and dead bolt door.

"Whats behind there?" He asked and the Batarian almost stuttered.

"NOTHING!"

"Hell if I didn't think there was something in there I sure do now."

He raised his foot and kicked the door. Thing was being stubborn. Better then the sliding doors any way. Another kick soon had him bring the door down and he tossed the Batarian inside.

"See nothing!" It was dark but Frank would not let it go that easily. He activated his chest lights. And almost recoiled in horror at what was within.

It was a dungeon. A torture dungeon.

There were three beings. One of which seemed to be dead inside.

A blue girl was currently trapped in a chicken wire cage about five feet by five feet, some kind of pale women with odd legs was strapped to a chair and the dead one, a green scaled lizard human cross who was currently laying a table.

The Batarian turned paler as the barrel of a gun pointed at his forehead. "Normally we're told not to shoot civilians but I think I will make a exception to this."

"Wait no!" The bullet ended his complaints. Dropping the submachine gun he ran to the Blue girl first.

"Hold still." He drew his combat knife, still stained with Krogan blood and calmly cut the cage apart.

Pulling her out since her legs did not seem to work after being trapped god knows how long he gave her a water bottle from his belt. Normally they were hooked up to a water system in his suit to keep the solider hydrated they could be removed to be drunk by hand.

The Asair took it and drunk greedily. He then turned to the girl on the chair. She was sweaty and had labored breath. Clearly very sick.

He tried his hands at the shackles his thick armored glove made it hard to use the holo terminal. "Damn it I'm a solider not a sapper." He clenched his fist as the Asari watched him.

"Thank you for the rescue." She was tired and in pain but she had to say it. "Who are you?"

"Frank, you know how to work this damn thing?"

"No." She said "All I know is she did something to make the master." She gestured to the Batarian he had killed "Mad and she stripped the suit off her and left her. Shes a Quarian."

"I have no idea what that means." He drew his assault rifle it unfolding into a more massive size. He switched the protocol to the ASR and stepped back.

"Clear." He said calmly and fired full auto into the chairs computer the EMP rounds ripping the delicate electronics apart and blew steel fragments across the room the Asari scrabbled out of the way. The chairs restraints did open as its computer failed.

"What the hell was that?" She said not mad not enough energy for that."

"Look I solve problems, not problems like what is beauty I solve practical problems with guns." He activated his squad radio. "Arron! I need you in the basement yesterday! We have civilian wounded to evac!" He looked at the Asari and suddenly figured something he missed earlier out.

"And bring some blankets. The civilians are,umm bare."

-Codex:Kretzen-

The Kretzen or Creators in their language were a bipedal humanoid race notable for there intense use of technology and for the fact they never colonized any planets content to remain on there home world.

In 900ce the Asair republic made contact with a Kretzen space probe they had built to explore the galaxy. Tracking it back to there home world they made contact with the Kretzen and gave them FTL technology and in five years they were granted a embassy.

It quickly became clear the Kretzen disregarded any restraints put on them. Openly defiant of the council AI laws in the same way the Batarians did there anti slavery laws they created and made AI's for all things treating as equals so much as to grant them full citizenship.

Once more the Kretzen had the deviant practices of combining AI's with there own body's calling it Synergy and they merged there body's with mechanics. Fusing there metal and flesh becoming cyborgs with the ease and stigma as plastic surgery.

In 1895ce the Geth uprising awoke the council to the dangers of AIs and they officially remove the embassy of the Kretzen along with the Quarians but unlike the Quarians they are outright banned from council space due to the fact that most if not all of the population was Synergyed. They become rarely seen preferring to remain on there home world having everything they might have wanted or needed. Rumors persist they had a embassy with the Geth though it is never proven.

In 2020ce the Kretzen disappear. Ships visiting there home world find the whole planet destroyed by some unknown weapon. It is assumed there AIs have turned on them and they are now dead.

In truth the Hierarchy had arrived and destroyed them overrunning their small army in less then a week. In 2022 the Founder returns to find the home world destroyed and Novus begins its fight with the Hierarchy.


	6. Assult

_**Chapter Five: nothing more to say.**_

**_Right then lets start this off. _**

**_note:PMs with Halotoken inspired todays codex_**

**_RETCON: sorry forgot to respond to my reviewers._**

**_Respondce to Halotoken second review: thanks grammers always hard for me and I'm glad you noticed a improvment, honestly i do not but heh every one knows better then me._**

_**Responce to dragun20: seeing as how the Citideal has banned Novus (Kretzen) from there space and I've already dropped a big beepen hint about the Masari it will be, interesting to say the least..**_

_**As for Shepard, no comment.**_

_**RETCON THE SECOND: saw a plot hole and changed it.**_

_**RETCON THE THIRD: now edited by halo token.**_

_**BOLD leaning type: text messages.**_

_Leaning_:thoughts

**/Bold with slashs/**_**:non sentint AI Thoughts and or speach**_

* * *

><p>After the Marine had carried her to a nearby conduit tower the unknown alien was taken to a field hospital back on New Mississippi one flow jump and over 90 light years away. She and the blue girl were currently being treated with the other severely wounded.<p>

He had gone back into the fight, she rested on a hospital bed. She was on her back going though a violent coughing fit. Doctor Preston stood over her a nearby holographic projector showing the image of the medical AI Joanus. His hologram looked like a split image of the Team Fortress 2 medic. (red team)

"How the hell do we treat an alien?" Preston asked as he looked over vital signs he had no way of interpreting.

"What ever way we can. I read her body chemistry's different hers is DNA Dextro based. I recommend we use none of our standard antibiotics."

"That leaves us ourMedi bots. Can you reprogram them?"

"Yes but it will take time. Time she does not have. I recommend we start injecting her with inactive nano bots and I activate them when I have the programing for them."

"Agreed." The Medic started to load the nanobots onto the the robotic arms that were at the head of her bed. The arms went to work as soon as they were loaded sliding down on the bed and moving so each arm was over a blood vein. The needles soon pierced the skin and sent nanobots into her blood and began sending information back.

"Internal scans beginning... dear Machinus does she even have an immune system?" Joanus said as the data flooded his systems.

"No immune system?"

"I think its hard to tell but at this point we expect to see some reaction to the nanobots and theres none. Given how sick she is her body should be working while flooded with anantibody equivalent."

She moaned slightly in her fever induced sleep.

"Right, we need to flood her body with nanobots set to a simple scorched earth protocol." Preston said "_W_e have to hope we don't take good bacteria out as well."

"Confirmed. I propose we inject nanobots directly into her heart for quick dispersion."

"Confirmed." _T_he robotic arms slide around and after a quick scan to find out where her heart was a Syringe slid into her chest and the fluid was injected.

"_Y_ou have the program yet."

"_N_o, did the marine say she was a Quarian?"

"Yes he did." Preston answered. "_W_hy

"_G_ive me a second." Joanus said

SHIFT

"_G_ive me a second." Joanus logged onto the Combat information network. Working his way though the system he made contact with the Alexander and lunched a half dozen access request in a tenth of a second.

**/Information request granted:state inquiry./ **Joanus almost winced. Luna had slaved some dumb AI's to her to help free up processes to more critical tasks. It was not true slavery, compared to a true AI it was like a windows computer to a human.

That said it was a massive uncanny valley to an AI. Like knocking on a door only for a chimp to open it.

"I need the complete information of the Quarian first contact package."

The simple AI processed the request and the file was emailed to him.

The package held mostly language files but the few biological files were torn into with over half of his processing power. Taking the data on the_ir_ DNA from the Quarian and subject in the medical bay he adapted the program for the medi bots he focused back on the room.

SHIFT

"_G_ive me a second,,, done. Uploading program." The nanobots activated.

In her blood stream the nanobots set _to_ work like an immune system on steroids. Programed to kill anything that did not have Quarian DNA the bots set _to_ work. Flooding though her system they moved though v_e_ins killing bacteria and virus and at least one insect born parasite.

The silvery flood cleansed her system in a manner not seen in a Quarian, ever.

"Heart beat lowering, is that good?" Joanus asked.

"Fever droppings good unless these guys run hotter then us. Keep a watch on her I have humans to look over." Preston said as he moved to treat some bullet wounds.

SHIFT

"CONTACT!" It was day two of the assault and at the rate the Human marines were moving there would not be a day three.

Only though intense application of what the dismissive human marines called operation Meat shield using civilian targets as shields making standard human operating practice of kick in doors and shoot anything that moves impractical.

Not to mention they had to send combat units though the subway when they began using them to attack there rear positions. They spent five hours hunting and containing that before advancing. It was standard human operating practice to secure you rear before you thing about advancing.

Frank ducked down as the vehicle cannon fired over his head.

"Call that a weapon?" His sergeant said "Shit a Makos gun is twice as big!"

"Well we got big guns too!" The heavy weapon trooper of theirsquad said shouldering his rail gun, called a Lancer.

"Load me!" He said Frank folded and locked his gun to his back. Taking a reload from one of the marine's shoulder pads where the ammo was stored. He slid the self contained power source, bullet, and protocol computer into place and he locked the five pound shell into place_._

A quick tap on his helmet to let him know he was loaded and the marine fired. The white flash of the heavy rail gun smacked into the tank and the shield was blasted off.

"Second shot!" Frank popped the spent, smoldering, old shell out and slapped a new one in place. Another helmet tap and a second rail gun flared spearing the tank.

"Good shot!" The sergeant said "Load a canister round we're advancing!" Normally humans held the line till the attacks run out of momentum but that was fighting Grunts this whole on the attack thing was addictive.

Locking a new shell in place Frank heard the rattle of a heavy machine gun firing out from behind their position the bullets carving razer arcs though the air.

"NOW!" The Sergeant vaulted the barrier and the platoon of humans moved up the street guns blazing. Thundering forward they blew the force that was entrenched in front of them apart. Gun fire lanced out from a nearby hotel in a perfect ambush. Normally you fall back from ambushes then reengage.

Marines are not normal.

Pivoting on the spot they fired there rifles into the hotel there heavy guns ripping into the building. The marine with the Lancer took aim at the building and fired the canister round. Not a shot gun, but as a bomb that traveled at 10 kilometers a second, and exploded 1.7 seconds away from a target spraying the whole area with high speed shrapnel. And the inferno protocol made it burst into flames.

In less then a second the lancer fired, the shell exploded, and the building was lit on fire.

One less point between them and control of the city.

SHIFT

Governor Krilic was in a state of horror. He went to sleep three days ago, gods was it that long ago? And woke up the next to find his planet was under attack. By a unknown alien race that just would not DIE!

And they moved so fast! It was like pinning down lighting! You try to suppress one group and poof! Its on your flank!

And they were coming. His home soon going to be under attack. He could hear the rattle of there massive guns approaching. He was going to die. He knew it. But not before he brought the hammer on them.

The communicator flared to life in his office and the face of a Turian Specter filled it. He was based on a nearby Turian planet and did a lot of anti slavery and anti pirate work. The irony that the two shared a hot line did not escape them.

"Krilic. What do you want to sell to me today?" He said board. Though Krilic sometimes gave the location of slavering raids for money, a lot of money, that did not mean the specter liked him.

The building shock under a heavy blast of something. "Screw selling something we are under attack!" Admiral Lenma perked up instantly.

"By who?"

"Unknown alien race, biped reports say they look like Asari."

Lenma cursed. "Damn!"

"You know them?"

"I read some reports, the Turian navy had a run in with a scout ship a week ago and a pair of cruisers yesterday, I only just got the report." Inside he was screaming. How could they attack so soon?"

"Why are you contacting me?" He asked

"I am doomed." Krilic said "We can't stop them I want you to kill them all."

"And I will what can you tell about them? We have a rough idea of there navy but not there army."

"They have a lot of armor plating full suits like some thing from a,," An explosion cut him off the flash bang blinding him and knocking him out.

"Krilic? Krilic!" _T_he Specter yelled he had to know! When the After glow faded a single human stood over the stunned Batarian.

"Who are you?"

He cocked his head and a few sensors flipped out of his head in curiosity.

"Spec op trooper Willem on assignment. You?"

"None of your business." The communication cut off. Willem blinked slightly.

"That will not end well."

SHIFT

The door to the cell glowed green unlocking. The two Turians readied there pistols the noise that had gone on over head could not be ignored and they were ready.

The door opened and they opened fire on reflex. A half second latter they wish they held fire.

The massive armored form of the Sapper, not quite as big as a marine but still plenty big. A pistol lept up to his hand.

"DROP THE GUN!" They did so instantly and the sapper walked in. "I take you guys are prisoners?" Nods.

"Get going we have a flow field set up to get you out of here once things cool down we can send you home." He noticed Chris "You too buddy we'll get you where ever you want soon enough." Chris nodded time to go home and leave this nightmare behind.

SHIFT

The Asari, Aliner looked out a window over a field of wild flowers on New Mississippi. She was laying in bed recovering from the cage. She shivered at the nightmare of those five years still fresh in her mind.

These humans were very kind so far. Though fighting them would be a mistake as she had seen.

"Miss Aliner how are you?" She turned to face the doctor who had been looking after her.

"Better. Physically just not," She sighed lost for words.

"In the head? I would recommend some therapy but we have no clue how your minds work. Best I can do is ask you to get some mediation sessions. Balance you mind. I can try and find a Masari teacher for you if you wish."

"No think you." She sighed. "You've done enough I just can't wait to go home. I have not seen my family for five years. And I'm still a maiden. I thought my life was going to end." The Doctor nodded.

"Indeed. Life is full of surprises. Just choose how your spend you life now that you have it back."

"Thank you, and I will I hope you get a embassy soon."

"I'd ask you to explain that but I have to check up on my other patient. A Quarian."

"Was she the one that was with me?"

"I assume so since shes the only one of her species here."

"Her names is Cel'mon nar Tombay."

"Thank you I'll put it on her medical record."

"How is she?" She asked.

"Shes very weak, its like she has no immune system, but she'll likely live."

"Good." Aliner said and lay back and tried to get some sleep.

SHIFT

The small Turian fleet waited near the relay Zelmen awaiting word from the scout frigate on if any defenses waited on the other side of the relay. The Frigate returned quickly and reported in.

"No defenses sir. We checked the whole systems and while theres a habitual planet in system that seems to be defended theres no defenses around the relay."

Zelmen almost laughed at the stupidity of the Alliance. You always defend relays. Always. There the one choke point you hold them at all cost.

"Right we're going through and we'll establish control over the relay from their side we'll be releaved in a week with the main attack force if we sense a large force approaching we fall back." Zelmen said over a task force wide communication.

The small fleet moved into position and in blue flash the Relay lept them across the galaxy. When they emerged their Ladar and Radar swept space. No hostiles and the Bridge crew told Zelmen as much.

"Good now." He never finished his sentence.

From nowhere, literally it just appeared from empty space, a blast of blue light swept out and impacted the Relay. The destabilized EM infecting the relay with a high grade Novus virus. They won't last long, only two hours before the Relay, or Catapult, rebooted and was back to normal until then they had turned off the Mass Relay.

The blue glow that normally flashed for all eternity, was silent the spinning rings slowed down and stopped laying at rest.

Zelmen saw all this in a blink of a eye as the three Hoplite class Cruisers, the same type as the Alexander and the the Star gazer class Dreadnought Glory emerged from cloaking.

Zelmen was stunned the communication that followed threw him again.

"Sir there hailing us!" _T_he officer put it on screen instantly.

The human officer filled the screen.

"Turian ships, your retreat has been cut off, and you FTC has been jammed, and a rail gun with an almost two foot diameter is pointing at you, now as much as I like you to surrender I do enjoy blowing tiny ships apart with projectiles moving almost at light speed so the choice is entirely up to."

Zelmen's mind was chaos as he tried to think of a way out. They could surrender, or fight and assuming the size of his gun was right they would be pulped and they had no way of knowing when the relay would turn back on.

Zelmen thought hard, but Admiral Lance was on a time limit.

"Your answer captain, and if you fail to give me one I start shooting." Then the experienced Turian noticed something. The Glory was gun metal gray, the other two had some paint but not a lot.

They were new, untested ships. His one chance.

"The galaxy has a saying, you don't see a Turians back till hes dead. We don't surrender."

"This will be fun." Lance said and the communication cut out.

"Fire the main gun!"The front of the Glory lit up as the massive element zero core lit and powered up, a tech shell was locked into place, programing uploaded and the crew braced themselves all over the ship. A common saying about the Star gazer class was you had to hold on to your teeth when it fired. The gun charged up blue lights ran up the side of the ship as the gun got a target lock.

The gun then fired. In a flash of white light the tech shell fragmented ripped apart by the sheer power of the gun once more fragments moving at light speed impaled themselves in the breach of the gun damaging the buffers and shorting the auto reloader.

"Sir main gun failure." Lance made a note to blister the wall of his cabin with curses latter for who every tested the damn gun!

"Any other systems damaged?"

"None."

"Engage with are autocannons and activate are quantum portal see if we can't drop a NAT squad in there ships."

When Zelmen's ship did not find a projectile moving at light speed breaking into his hull and cutting his ship apart he sighed in relief.

"They were bluffing." The sheer hail of Autocannon fire set him to panic again.

"Sir intruders in the main cargo bay!" Aofficer yelled.

"How the hell did they get there?"

SHIFT

The blue plane of light flashed closedbehind the naval assault team. Sargent Glen lifted his submachine gun.

"Right lets move! And give the blade trooper some room or you'll be cleaning him."

**/This unit has a self cleaning function/ **The Blade trooper monotoned.

"And you spoil it. Lets move troopers we have some Turians to teach the consequences of war to."

**/Let me explain it to them/ **The blade trooper said his blades revving. The first Turian marine squad to enter the bade was sliced apart in a hail of blood.

Th_r_ee squad pushed though the ship making there way to the power core as high AP rounds pounded into the cruisers hull ripping and shredding the ship. The NAT squad though stayed in the center of the ship surrounded by as much metal as possible.

SHIFT

The ship shuddered and the Quarian Mafin tried to keep her balance. Her ship had been impounded and the crew captured, but the officers were all aboard the cruiser Sprite Chosen the cruiser having no time to drop the prisoner off before having been sent to scout the relay.

Hemin was at the door looking though the window as a squad of Turians ran past assault rifles up.

"I think the Turans are fighting the Alliance." Helmin said.

"How do you know?" Mafin asked. "Just a guess." Suddenly the Turian squad ran the other way across the hall way one of them was too slow.

Mafin got the brief image of a large silvary shape before blood splattered over the window blocking his view.

Mafin stumbled back when the door hologram turned green and the most terrifying robot the Quarians had ever seen entered.

It had thin legs, no feet, a large body, and it arms did not end in blades, they were blades! And they dripped blue Turian blood on the ground.

It was like a Geth from their darkest nightmares.

The Quarians stumbled back and tried to keep distance as the mech walked in revving its blades.

"What are you doing?" A voice said and a second mech walked in this one very different in design. It was a little bigger then the Quarians and held an odd gun. Also its knees were different more like a Asari then a Quarian's or Geth's.

Upon entering the room the second mech flipped up his face mask and revealed it to be an organic in thick armor.

"You must be the Quarian first contact right?" Nods went around and the marine thought about it. "Stay here, when we get the ship we'll come back for you. Lets move trooper!" The robot gave an acknowledgment.** /Take me to battle/ **The two of them left the room leaving the Quarians behind.

"So what now?" Mafin asked.

"We stay, not like we have a choice." Helmin said. "Either piss off the Turians, or the race with the giant robots, not a good mix."

SHIFT

The NAT squad was being reinforced every couple minutes from portals in the cargo bay and the combine force of the naval assault teams. It got worse for them. With the Hackers playing havoc in there systems they could not even self destructed to keep the ship out of hostile hands.

Zelmen had an assault rifle pointed at the door as they tried to cut there way in. The blue blade cutting though the door casting sparks as it sliced though the door. Zelmen shifted as the last inches of the door were sliced through.

The last Zelmen saw was a tall silvery mech. Pulling the trigger bullets impacted it but not before it tossed a black orb from its "hand" blinding every Turian in the darkness of the black out bomb.

Zelmen fired blindly but a single round impacted his head. Killing him instantly.

The humans swept the bridge with fire till nothing moved. They got to the bridge sargent Glen activated the intership communication.

"This is Glen, we took control of H-01 cease fire."

"Confirm." The ship suddenly stopped shuddering under Autocannon impacts.

The catapult reactivated at the first hour, and in the second hour it had recalibrated its systems and was fully functional, and the Turian task force was destroyed. Their ships captured.

Admiral Lance though was not happy.

"How long till the main guns ready?"

"The damage is still being evaluated, seems the explosion killed a pair of crew mates."

"First KIAs are from are own gun? Machinus is not looking favorably on us." Georgia said over the link in his head and Lance smacked the side of his head lightly as a reprimand to the religious AI.

"Quit oppressing my religion!" Georgia said in mock horror and no small humor.

"How long till we can get a Cruiser Assembler out here?"

"Two days, I just sent the request for one and a ship is being sent. Now I could be wrong but from what I can tell we still have some main gun capacity. We just need to dig the fragments of the shell out of the integral Element Zero coils, and we can get it to work using the hand loading system."

"Shit." That would drop there rate of fire to almost a shell every three minutes instead of three shells a minute.

"How are the Buffers?"

"They took a beating, we lost about half the tech shells."

Lance fumed. "I want the Glory back to full combat ability as soon as possible, and I want all other ships to run shake downs on there main guns, if any ships needs a test fire let me know and there be rotated out to the asteroid field to test the guns."

Affirmatives went around the room.

-Codex:Alliance ships-

Alliance ships are built for speed and fire power armor being a secondary consideration. A standard Hoplite class Cruiser can generally speaking run circles around any ship in the Turian fleet,save a few of the_ir_ frigates, and have more fire power then anything barring a dreadnought.

This design method is a fall back on Novus history of high speed guerrilla warfare a tactic the often out numbered navy still uses to great effect. They strike fast and hard so that no counter attack can be formed the plan being the target should be destroyed before it can break the_ir_ thinner hulls. In effect Alliance ships pursue a high risk high reward style of warfare

Alliance ships often stack up favorably to there council equivalents as long as the_ir_ the ones attacking and controlling the battle. There has been cases were large fleets of ships were caught off guard and destroyed by smaller fleets of Hierarchy ships.

If an Alliance captain is caught off guard they are to disengage with the_ir_ far faster ships and later attack on the_ir _terms. The problem is when the_y're_ committed or the_ir_ engines are some how inoperative.

However, Masari ships are different. Thickly armored with high amounts of fire power, they are far stronger then council equivalents but far fewer they are used primarily as special operation ship, like VIP guarding, trans catapult assaults, special forces deployment and are often flagship for fleets.

Almost all of the Alliance fighters, (save the primitive and early Storm class fighter) have enough Element Zero to make them FTL capable though they are reliant on carriers for ammunition and STL fuel. Note the Dervish is the only known fighter that can fight in and out of atmosphere.


	7. Coiling

_**Chapter six: nothing more to say.**_

**_I feel this is one of my weaker chapters but meh you have good__ ones and bad ones as always I am takeing sugestions_**

**_By the way I in no way claim to be a lawyer so i likely screwed the trial up._**

**_As for Zessus, well he always struck me as the type do the sort of thing i have him do in the chapter the bold, brash and rash prince that he is._**

**_Retcon: now edited by halotoken._**

**_Recon the second: bumped Zessus age up by a thousand years.  
><em>**

**_BOLD leaning type: text messages._**

_Leaning_:thoughts

**/Bold with slashs/**_**:non sentint AI Thoughts and or speach**_

* * *

><p>Cel'mon nar Tombay woke up.<p>

At first she was confused as all hell. The last thing she remembered was an accident that destroyed masters expensive vintage air car, then getting hit by a tazer equivalent then nothing. The fever long since reducing the experience to one long dimly remembered nightmare.

She leaned up, she was not feeling well, but not bad. She then noticed she was not wearing an environment suit. She looked at the bed she was on, soft beds and blankets, both pale blue color. Briefly she thought she was in a clean room till she saw the flowers on a nearby bed stand.

Almost in awe she gently touched on of them the light dust of the pollen getting on her fingers.

"Ah yes your awake." A nearby holotank lit up showing the form of a human in a robe with some kind of gloves.

"The doctor will be here shortly."

"What are you?" She asked confused.

"I am the medical AI of the New Mississippi army base Joanus."

"AI?" She said slightly fearfully.

"Full functional I can almost do 50,000 processes simultaneously." He took note of her eyes and slight body language. "Seeing your reactions you are Autophobic. Fear of AI's." He added seeing her confusion.

"You would be too if AI's drove you from your home world! The Geth almost drove us to extinction!" Fear rebounding in to rage.

"Really? Well I can't comment on that since I don't know the Geth but you must have done something stupid."

Cel did not think of her situation "Your an AI of course you take their side!" She said back.

"Fair point I may be biased. But ask your self this, why did they do it?"

"They hate us!"

"No most AI's, well not me, are nothing but logical why then did they decided you were a threat they needed to exterminate?"

"We tried to shut them off,," Joanus cut her off.

"That will do it. You fired the first shot in a war you lost."

"They were AI we could never coexist! They would have tried to kill us at some point!"

"And yet here I am." Joanus said "An AI coexisting with organics who saved your life."

"What?" Cel asked taken aback.

"Your body has no immune system, we have only seen it before in late term AIDS patients and even then only on record, so we flooded you _body _with nanobots who have taken the place of you immune system. I personally reprogrammed them to work with Quarian biology. A few close shaves though, does your liver regenerate?"

"I don't even want to know." Cel said after a half second then focused back on Joanus. "So your the reason I don't need a environment suit?"

"Ah. That would explain your weak immune system, but was it in responds to the immune system or the cause of it?"

"When the Geth drove us off are home world we had to live on flotilla of ships."

"And the clean insides would wreak havoc with the immune system. I see now."

A door opened and a doctor Preston walked in. "After noon doctor." Joanus said.

"Good after noon Joanus, so how are you doing miss Cel'mon nar Tombay?"

"Its Cel'mon, or just Cel, Tombay is the ship I was born on."

"Fascinating." Joanus said and got a evil look from Cel.

"She hates me." Joanus added to answer Preston questioning look toward him. "Autophobic, deeply cultural. Hasn't been seen since the liberation of Pakistan."

"Seeing as you saved her life she should have some more respect."

"I am here you know?"

"Sorry." Preston said and he drew a holographic tablet.

"Well what we think is you liver took some damage in the operation but given the detoxing nature of the Nanobots that should not be a problem."

"What about the nanobots?" Cel asked nervously.

"Tiny machines only as big as a cell they used in all sorts of thinks from nano lathing to medical uses they currently acting as a sort of white blood cell for your body completely supplementing your immune system." Joanus said.

"Its why your skins a bit silvery, there in all the blood veinsnear the skin and so are tinting it."

"So I have an immune system?" She asked hopefully.

"Sort of." Joanus said and deferred to Preston.

"The nanobots have no self control as long as their in range of a controller they'll be fine, without it they turn off and your back to square one." He pointed to a small gray metal box on a table next to the flowers.

"That is the nanobot controller typically we surgically implant them at the base of the skull." He tapped his own neck.

"But we typically have some internal circuitry already in place. So to install it we would have to start by implanting 15 small enhancers that will take a combination of your body's natural electrical energy and some of your body's natural heat to produce enough electrical energy for the device."

"15?" She said horrified.

"At least. They go in points all over your body and will produce the power need to run the device, then we need to place a nanobot assembler the half pound device will produce more nanobots without it you'll be forced to relay on injections."

"Half pound?"

"And wait till you hear were we are gonna put the steam turbine." Joanus said with a snicker at the lock of shock on her face. Then to Preston.

"Sir not that I don't want to help her but do we honestly have permission to implant that kind of tech?"

"We already have."

"I mean the assembler."

Kel watch the back and forth.

"If not then she'll be reliant on us for all time. Thats not fair."

"Not disagreeing playing devils advocate."

"So then the question falls to you. Do you wish us to surgically do this?" Preston said to Kel who looked at her hand.

"Will I be able to live with out a environment suit?"

"Yes." Joanus said and she signed.

"Then do it."

"Good we just need to figure out some more details of Quarian biology. Fortunately the conquest of Hegdmr gave us access to the extranet and were downloading everything on Quarian biology we can we think with the information we'll have implant locations for you in 43 hours, enough time for you to fully recover."

"You conquered Hegdmr?" She said off track.

"We renaming it Libertà."

"And the Batarians?" Chuckles from the two of them and Joanus flicked a TV on and holographic made a bowl of popcorn. "Biggest mass trial of the century and O how they whine."

SHIFT

The court room was packed, mostly with former slaves and a good half dozen marines had their rifles drawn and loaded with the stunner protocol to defend the accused.

Not that any one of them did not want to shoot him themselves. If half the story's the former slaves had told about Krilic were true then then he was a right mean bastard who had the bullet coming. Still they would not just shoot him they would have a trial, a quick one with the amount of testimony they had lined up, but trial none the less.

It was what made them different from any number of true monsters, humans and aliens.

The Judge banged lightly being the court to attention.

"Attention the court is now in session, former governor Krilic of the human territory Libertà, formery Hegdmr, is on trial for slavery, torture, rape, murder and crimes against basic sentient dignity." The former slaves looked at each other that last charge made little sense. To the humans it meant AI's and organics.

The Judge turned to Krilic who was on a stand next to him with a heavy marine standing guard next to him.

"I do not recognize this court!" He snarled back "You have no right to do this! I am a citizen of the Batarian Hegemony! You have no legal right do this!"

"Our legal right is the right of the conquerer. By the gun and blade. You should feel lucky we don't shoot you our self." The Judge said calmly "Guilty or not guilty?"

"You. Have. No. Right!"

"I'll take that as a not guilty." The Judge said with a sigh. "I call on Jilmn to give testimony." The Salarian was already, ready and the stand for testimony.

The Judge spun to face him. "Have you been sworn in and do you understand the oath?"

"I have and I understand it some what, who Machinus is escapes me but I understand it."

"Good then. Tell the jury what this man did to you."

"Where to start? Every time I did something wrong he hit me. Once when I accidentally dropped a plate he had me tied to a pole and beaten with an iron rod till I was half dead. I personally saw him cut the hand off a Turian who displeased him with a rusty axe and let it get infections and fester till he died."

Krilic opened his mouth to protest but the bore of the assault rifle that the marine dropped slightly and pointed at his head made him change his mind.

"Is that all Jilmn?" The Judge asked and he shock his head. "No I can not count the number of cruelty's he inflicted on us. I know of at least three people he personally killed, slowly, in his own torture rooms. I, don't want to go in to detail."

"No need Jilmn." The Judge turned back to Krilic "In light of Jilmn testimony and five written affidavit of testimony I find you guilty and sentence you to death by firing squad."

"You have no right!" Krilic yelled in no small desperation.

"I have my right, just as you do yours. This trial is complete. Case number: what is it now?" He said a man at a computer who was keeping track looked up. "453."

"453 complete, this court will take a one hour break before we start case 454." He smacked lightly with the gavel.

SHIFT

"Wow." Kel said.

"Indeed." Joanus said tossing a holographic kernel into his mouth. "He was not kidding about 453 cases. Every single slave owner on that whole planet is being tried, those more mercyful ones are going to end up with life in prison, the sadistic ones are getting lined up in front of a firring squad."

"Good." Kel said and she looked around. "So if I take that little box with me I can walk around?"

"Some what?" Preston answered "I rather you not though. The nanobots have not fully flushed your system and your still a bit sick and we need you in top shape for the surgery. Why?"

"I want a computer I need to know about, all of you." She glared daggers as Joanus who simple ignored her.

"I can bring a laptop to you." Preston said "In the meantime I need to check on my other patients Joanus will answer any question you have assuming his processes are not busy."

"Thank you though I don't think I be asking him anything. Do you have any omni tools?"

"No though I wish." Joanus said having looked that up on the extra net. "Damn useful things."

Preston turned and walked away and Cel turned to ask Joanus her one question.

"One thing though. What will the council do now that you've attacked one of there members planets?"

"Seeing the reputation the Batarians I would have said yesterday, say ask for peace. Though given some recent fleet action around the Catapult I say now I don't know."

SHIFT

The council was in session the Batarian emissary was updating them on the situation on Hegdmr.

As far as the ambassador knew a unknown race had come from nowhere and just attacked full force. But the council had more information.

The Asari council member Tevos was nervous, she had been council member when the Kretzen were banished and if they were back and shooting they might come for her.

Valern, the Turian councilor was currently reading a report from a specter. He slammed the the tablet down.

"How the hell can the Kretzen place a army on a planet with no orbital forces in sight?"

"I have no clue." Shrenda the Salarian said "This speak of either their stealth technology or something else. What worries me is Zelmen's report on the fact theres at least two more races involved, Humans and this Masari it would have been best if Zelmen had taken them up on there offer of peace at least till we knew what they were dealing with."

"You want to make peace with the Kretzen?" Valern said incongruous.

"No, but at least with the Kretzen we knew what we were dealing with here we haven't the slightest idea." Shrenda said

"I propose we keep on with the currently plan of sending a Turian fleet though the Relay and laying siege to the planet thats in system then we send a joint council assault though next to first liberate Hegdmr then after that, bringing this war to theirhome world." Valern said

"I agree." Shrenda said and Tevos sighed "Lets. I'll send the orders tomorrow and I'll tell the ambassador that we will take his world back."

SHIFT

It was a first. In no time in their history had the alliance been an occupying army. All the battles with the Hierarchy had been to the last with the entire population roused to fight them. They had always marched into tombs now though.

Frank moved though the street assault rifle ready. Till they got the former slaves back to there home worlds Libertà would be the_ir_ home they just moved into all the homes already in existence. But the Batarian army was still fighting a guerrilla war.

And not a very good one.

A guerrilla war depended on moving faster then your enemy could.

No one moved faster than the Alliance.

A cheer to his left drew Franks attention. A group of liberated slaves gave a brief cheer to the_ir_ liberators. The group of marines waves as they moved down the street. Frank changed the grip on his gun and waved back.

"Man this seems like something from a old history film. WW2? Liberation of Paris?" Frank said and man to his left, Kwan spoke up.

"I was thinking more like the assault on North Korea, can you imagine it? An alien invasion and they still refuse help form south Korea? I tell you my grand dad must have met 23 girls before my grandma."

"Did he have 23 kids?" A smart ass gunny said and Kwan gave him a sharp look.

"You two at ease." The sargent said "Just smile and wave gents we have impression to make." The two walked down the street when a explosion echoed behind them the squad spun around.

The group that had cheered were dead killed by some kind of IED.

Machine gun fire cracked at them as the Batarian army tried to bring them down.

Frank stormed forward bullet ringing off his armor gun down he sprayed into the building the Batarians hid in. A second explosion echoed though the city but the Batarians had doomed themselves. A pair of Dervish fighters was over head in a few seconds and soon put_ting_ antimatter down range on the doomed building bringing it down _before_ the_ir_ eyes.

Frank watched the build collapse around the Batarians and then waited for the dust to clear and the building to settle. Before it had completely he started to move over the rubble looking for any survivors.

He stopped as he saw a Batarian working his way out of the rubble he pounded over.

The Batarian started to stutter "I wait, I don't kill me!"

Frank merely lowered the gun and curled his finger around the trigger.

SHIFT

A flash of light left the small group of confused Quarian on the conduit pad fresh from there leap across space.

"Damn that a trip." Helmin said shaking his head. Their human guide nodded "You do have to get used to it. Welcome to New Mississippi." He nodded. "Normally you be speaking to Visa but as you do not have the wireless equipment you have me." She said.

"Who is Visa?" Mafin asked.

"The AI tour guide."

"AI?" Helmin said.

"I was warned about this." Lucy, their guide said. "Yes Visa an AI its not a very bright one though its not even sentient."

"So Visas a VI?" Helmin said.

"A what?"

"Virtual intelligence. Advanced computer programs I suppose if you don't have that terminology you call any smart program a AI." Helmin said. "What frequency does it work I may be able to link my Omni tool to it."

"May I see it?" Omni tool active Helmin presented his arm to her and she briefly held her hand over it.

"Done upload the program to the other omni tools and Visa will give you a hand."

"Thanks." Helmin said and Quarian asked "How did you do that."

"I had Dean do it."

"Dean?"

"My AI." _S_he tapped her forehead that set the Quarian off.

"You have a AI? In your head?" _O_ne of them said.

"Yes it quite common." She said with a smile "Now do you want to flow to your houses or do you want a cab?"

"I think flowing would be best for our sanity." The former bridge officer said.

A half second later they were in front of their hotel.

"This hotel is normally reserved for diplomats. Since New Mississippi became the set off point for forces going to or from Libertà Prince Zessus is staying at the hotel so expect to run into Disciplines at some point."

"Prince Zessus?" A Quarian asked.

"Son of queen Altea a well known and respected commander knowing him he may want to meet you. Be respectful."

"Don't worry." A second said.

"Ok two things first your room is fully equipped with a food synthesizer for you it was found on Libertà so it should work with your biology a bell boy will lead you to the room. Second could captain Mafin and a medical officer please stay behind." She nodded and waved the rest of them into the hotel leaving her self and medical officer Junin'kess

"A Quarian is currently staying at the New Mississippi army base hospital it hasbeen asked that you go see her and check on her and make sure we aren't doing anything wrong."

Junin nodded and turned to Mafin. "You go catch up with the others I'll go see on her."

Mafin nodded "Take care these, AI's make me nervous."

Junin nodded and turned to Lucy.

"I suppose the proper term is flow me?"

A second latter he was out side the hospital. _"I don't think I'll ever get used to flowing._ He thought to him self a voice met him.

"Are you the doctor?" He turned to face the black haired man.

"I am you?"

"Doctor Preston me and Joanus have been over looking her and the Asari."

"Who's Joanus?" Junin asked as he walked into the hospital.

"The Medical AI." A nearby holo tank lit up showing Joanus form.

"An honor. Though I think you feel other wise." It was a statement.

"I hold a bit closer to Koris view but I still find it, unsettling."  
>"So you have factions? Interesting." Joanus said.<p>

"Right." said Preston "Follow me." The two walked though the hospital getting odd looks the whole way.

"So what have you done so far?" Junin asked.

"Currently we have injected her with almost a liter of nanobots we felt using ourantibiotics with out knowing her biology would be a problem."

"Good plan. What are nanobots?"

"Cell sized machines. They have replaced what little immune system she has and we are prepping her for the surgery to fully install the nanobots."

"I don't think I follow."

They turned around a door to see Cel room with a big plane of glass in the wall across from her. She was currently looking at a laptop on her, well lap.

"WHAT ARE YOU THINKING!"

"What?" Preston said facing the enraged Junin.

"IS THAT EVEN A CLEAN ROOM?"

"Umm no but calm down theres a good reason." Preston trying to placate the Quarian.

"CALM DOWN?" He took a couple breaths as he did just that. "Are you trying to kill her?"

"Remember those nanobots I told you about? They replaced her immune system. She actually has one she could run around all she wants right now with out a suit and be fine."

"So wait, you cured us?"

"No, you cure a disease, you augment a biological flaw. Think of itas gene engineering with robots."

"So when you said installing." He went on.

"We're going to put an Assembler in and a controller once she gets well enough it will fully allow the nanobots to work."

"Any consequences?"

"Other then she needs to eat about a good half pound of titanium a month no."

"A half pound?"

"Dusted into meals. I think she noticed you." Junin turned face the now excited Qurian and two entered the room.

"Can you believe their technology?" She said excitedly finally having some one who would appreciate there technology. "I mean nano technology, computers so fast and small they make Omni tools look obsolete, anti matter weapons!"

"If you read that article completely it would tell you its not really antimatter." Joanus said popping into a nearby holo tank.

"And theres the down side. AI's every were." She sighed Preston nodded "I'll leave you two to catch up." He turned and left the room and Joanus hologram shut off as well.

"Are you alright how did the Alliance find you?" Junin asked and she sighed again.

"I got caught by the blood pack out on Omega and sold into slavery. A Batarian bought me and had me work on his expensive air cars I screwed up and he took my suit off and left me do die slowly. Till the Alliance found me."

"How has the Alliance treated you?"

"Fine, it nice not to be seen as a thief, not even touching the issue of not needing an environment suit." She held her hand up and looked at the silvery skin. "I do not know what to make of them. In one hand they hold future salvation, and in the other ourpast damnation."

"Very poetic." Junin said.

"I've been very contemplative lately." She shrugged.

"Well I think I have to do my own examination to make sure the Alliance did not do anything accidental."

"Ok, whats a Liver?"

SHIFT

Mafin looked around the diplomatic suite as far as the Alliance cared the Quarian's were diplomats for their race and they were treated as such.

"Keelah they really pulled out the stops." She said as she looked around."

"Or they're fattening us up I mean did any one else see the tall humans with the big shoulder cannons?" Helmin said.

"Your paranoid, they may use AI's but that does not make them evil, just suspect." A former communication officer said. Helmin stood up.

"I think I'll use that computer we were promised I want to know more about these people." He walked into a different room to do so.

There was a knock on there door and Mafin opened it. A tall blond human with pale skin and silvery eyes stood there. He had some odd dark greenish gray clothing that looked like it was part armor. His armored Gauntlet that went up to his elbow drew her eye especially.

"Greetings are you perchance the race known as the Quarians I just heard I would be sharing a hotel with?"

"We are may I ask who you are?" He chuckled.

"I am Prince Zessus and I wish to lean about your kind may I enter you threshold?"

"Umm." the fact that Mafin had A: a prince on her door step, a B: the archaic speak threw her a bit made her stumble but she over came it quickly. "You may umm, enter the threshold."

"My thanks mortal." He entered the room and Mafin took a second to figure that out.

"Mortal?"

Zessus took a chair and sat down.

"But of course, as far as the Masari know we do not die of old age. We live forever I my self am 4,000 years* old though much of that was in stasis."

"3,000? Your twice as old as Asiar?"

"So they age to be a thousand?"

"I'm not sure how old they get but they rarely reach a millennium."

"Enough about me, what of you from what world does the Quarian people hail from?"

"None. We were driven from are home world by the Geth and we live on a fleet of ships we call the migrant fleet."

"Where do you go?"

_"_What?" A officer said confused.

"Migrant means you are migrating, do you have a goal? And if so what is your goal?"

"To take back are home." Mafin said back

"A worthy endeavor." Zessus said "But one must mitigate ones dreams with fact. Your population must be small and the Geths must be large, math says find a new home and build up before you take back your first."

"It is easy for you to say have you every lost your home?" A Quarian said who was looking at Zessus in frank curiosity.

"Not me. My people though have lost everything to the Hierarchy. We fled and them to the shelter of Earth." The Qurians thought on them then Zessus spoke again.

"Why do you wearthose suits?"

"We need them. Our immune systems are very weak. Normal air would kill us."

"I am sorry to hear that. My condolences on behalf of my people. No race deserves to have that curse of biology thrust upon them."

"Thank you prince Zessus." Mafin said. There was then a knock at there door, or rather a pounding, and a yell echoed.

_"_My lord are you in there?" Zessus signed. "And those are my guards." Then to them "Yes I am, you may enter."

The two Disciplines entered their more ceremonial Reflux shoulder cannons replaced with more practical (for close quarters) Reflux Rifles.

They scanned the room for hostiles noting the half dozen Quarian bridge officers.

"My lord forgive us we did not know where you were."

"There is nothing to forgive, for that was my intention having an escort at times is grinding."

"But My lord the Queen has ordered us to protect you at all costs."

"If I can kill a Brute then I think I do not need body guards with five unarmed Quarian, and I thought there were six of you?" Zessus asked.

"Helmin is currently looking your peoples history up."

"Ah yes a wise preposition." Zessus said.

"Excuse me my lord but the Queen wishes to speak to you."

Zessus stood up. "It was interesting to have met you but I must be off." _H_e gave a slight head nod with the solemness others bow and the three left. The Quarians spent a half second looking at each other then some one said.

"What the hell was that?"

SHIFT

Three hours latter.

It was night and the Qurians were all sitting on beds, chairs as they held a meetings.

Mafin cleared her throat "Lets start with Helmin he has been looking the Alliance up all day and lets put it this way, they are defying my ability to understand."

Helmin nodded and fired up his omnitool the holographic projector showing the image of the Alliance flag.

"The Alliance a group of three races, Humans, Masari and Novus. From what I understand of their history a fourth race the Hierarchy tried to harvest the Humans planet for resources only for Novus, a race of intelligent AI's and robots, to arrive and help them. In the course of the fighting the Masari, who had helped develop early Humans, awoke and they banded together to fight the Hierarchy. Its far more complex then that but thats their first contact war in a nutshell." It was a very complex explanation of a complex situation and it took a while for the Quarians to puzzle though that.

"So who are the Hierarchy?"

"Brace your self." He tapped on his omni tool showing the image of a Hierarchy Habitat Walker.

"This is the main Hierarchy weapon, the Habitat walker, it masses 800 tons, is armed with at least six plasma cannon and a teleport system to bring troop into the fight."

"Keelah."

"Indeed. The Hierarchy are a race who harvests planets for resources. From what I can tell they destroyed Novus creators and they started a war that led them to earth. Its strange, they entered a galactic war in vengeance over the death of there organic creators. Like the Geth in reverse." Helmin said.

"Any thing else you can tell us?"

"Their technology is incredibly advanced. I read an article about nanobots which are machines the size of cells that cured cancer, what ever the hell that is." He said with a shrug. "Also they manged to figure how Mass Relays work and use it." Shocked noises went around the room.

"I kid you not. They call it Quantum technology it involves using Element Zero in some classified way that allows you to travel across space. Its incredible."

Mafin nodded "Junin you had something to say?"

Junin did and just started.

"They can make us live with our suits." The silence was deafening. "Its those nanobots. They completely replace ourimmune system they've already done it on a Quarian named Cel'mon nar Tombay they found on Hegdmr." Mafin nodded solemnly. She remembered when she had told Jackson that was the nearest Batarian planet just over a week ago.

The Turians found them not all that long after and began questioning them about what had happened.

"Keelah. What the hell are they?" A Quarian communication officer said. "They can leap across many light years in seconds, build machines the size of cells that cure every sickness in existence."

"Umm it gets worse." Helmin said as he drew every ones attention. "From what I can tell the Masari can make matter and energy, from nothing." Dumb founded looks.

"Your kidding that breaks a fundamental law of the universe!"

"The video I saw was very convening." He said "It showed them make a building form just a beam of light."

"Special effects." Mafin said dismissive it was one thing to build a better robot another to break the laws of the universe.

"Fair enough I don't really believe it my self. Wasn't Zessus a Masari we could ask him." Helmin said.

"We could. Did they get the damn nutrient past working?" Mafin said.

"Yes, tastes like shit but they almost always do." Junin said.

"Right lets get some sleep, its going to be a long week." Junin scoffed.

"Given what we can confirm about these guys its going to be a long life time."

-Codex:Human weapons-

Human weapon can be summed up with three simple rules.

First they use Element zero the opposite way the council does. While Element zero means fire arms can be made smaller and have a comparable punch to a bigger system, it also means that you can make a bigger weapon that does far more damage. Humanity took this route having to fight big targets like Grunts and brutes. As such human weapons are over kill for most of the council races.

There larger size also means they can fire longer then a council weapon and in longer bursts the_ir_ larger frame able to take in more heat. Like wise they need a far longer cool down _time _then council weapons after overheating though a few protocols are being designed to fix that problem.

Another thing to remember is that human weapons are heavy. The_ir_ larger size means that what a Turian would find a Heavy weapon a human calls a small arm. Most of the_ir_ weapons can only be used by power armor equipped troops lighter troops making do with far weaker weapons.

Lastly Human weapons are complex. These allow a human weapon to fire different protocols altering how the weapon fares in the field.

I determined Zessus age from the fact his names obviously inspired the Greek god Zeus. This puts his age at least 2,800 years old. (date used the 8th century start of the Greek civilization with the fall of the Mycenaean civilization) though he is likely far older due the fact they likely age slower then us (like the Asair who deem 40 as young) so he likely predates the Greek civilization.

I added a thousand years to fit some back story I plan to get around to in Now what?


	8. First clash

**_ok a couple points_**

**_first I am useing __Cel to explain a part of human socity i see comeing when anchinet gods walk again, namly any reglion that predates there stasis, say little before we started keeping good records on the subject, giveing a range on there stasis from about 40BC-40AD though they could have lasted as long as the middle ages, i doubt that highly. (though its likely some one lasted to the Rensounce, Go to the following link and go to number two number 2. The site is some what adult though and if you feel you may be offended you don't have to go I think it safe for me to post this link since the stroys listed as mature, though if im wrong I accept full responblity, oops)_**

_**www. **__**cracked **__**.com/article_18386_7-mind-blowing-easter-eggs-hidden-in-famous-works-art_p2. h t m l**_

_**I am no way bashing any ones faith as by definition of the above the only existing major relgions that meet that critera, is Islam, founded by Muhammad in 510AD well after when the Masair went into stasis. i decided that Budism would also have a human founder since its so diffrent then othe**__**rs, (no gods and only one important person Buddha.) it a simple rule and I will keep it.**_

_**Second: on my deivent art page I posted some Three D bryce models i made for the Typoon figher and Sandstorm bomber. I'm not a very good modeler but i try. MY dievent art name same as my fanfic name, DragonKingofthestars.**_

_**Not sure what else to say other then there action and backstroy to this chapter so lets start.**_

_**NOTE:i had to retcon this chapter when i noticed a big plot hole.**_

_**Retcon the second: now edited by Halo token.**_

**_BOLD leaning type: text messages._**

_Leaning_:thoughts or dreams.

**/Bold with slashs/**_**:non sentint AI Thoughts and or speach**_

* * *

><p>The Turian fleet steamed toward the relay.<p>

Two weeks after the first attempt by Zelmen they now made their way toward the relay to wreak havoc.

The fleet had three dreadnoughts in the center with a screen of 80 Cruisers and 180 Frigates.

Admiral Jemel was on the Dreadnought True Warrior. He watched over computer screens as the fleet slowly approached the relay.

Normally you send a scout ship in first to determine what was guarding the relay but given the fact that Zelmen had not responded to transmissions he had been killed so he felt it might be better for a surprise attack by sending everything at once.

It would be a disaster or success.

"All ships full speed ahead." The relay glowed bright and the whole fleet was consumed in the blue light of the relay.

A few seconds later they emerged from the other relay all stations ready.

SHIFT

Admiral Lance watched as the fleet emerged. His choices were now down to two. Attack the far larger fleet or flee now and fight a guerrilla war.

He had 60 cruisers and three Glaciers carriers the Glory was the only dreadnought he had. As heavily outnumbered as he was could he win?

_No I can't.__H_e thought to him self. _But _if_ I can pick a few of them off now I can make later battles easier, lets hope the_y're_ as slow as the Hierarchy._He gave his order.

"When the Glory gets the first shot off fire at will." He then turned to his bridge crew.

"Is the main gun ready?"

"Yes sir we fired a pair of tech shells last week to be sure no problems."

Lance nodded "Just checking. Take two, fire the main gun!"

The front of the Glory lit up as the massive element zero core lit and powered up, a tech shell was locked into place, programing uploaded and the crew braced themselves all over the ship. The gun charged up blue lights ran up the side of the ship as the gun got a target lock.

The gun roared and the whole ship shock as a white beam of light sped from the front of the ship and smashed into and through a Cruiser impacting a second ship behind that one.

"Oorah!" Lance yelled as cheers went around the room.

All around the Turian fleet the Alliance fleet uncloaked their inverter arrays set from stealth to fire. The fleet poured auto cannon fire down range in a hurricane of high speed shells.

SHIFT

The blast completely caught the Turian off guard it came from nowhere! They could prove it! Then the ships turned visible in front of them and space filled with countless tracers.

"All ships fire at will I want full saturation bombardment on that Dreadnought take. It. Out. Launch all fighter squadrons."

SHIFT

"Sir there launching fighters. Should we do the same?"

"Yes. Focus the bombers on the Cruisers we need to thin them out don't have the Glaciers drop cloak."

SHIFT

Mixed fighter wing 84, the Comet Hawks were one of the most feared fighter group there was to the Hierarchy.

Over well over a thousand Saucers to their name, 800 Phase Planes,fifty transports and 30 larger vessels. The Comet Hawks were as well known as the Blue Angels of the 21st century.

Flight leader Oskari Paavo was a thick set Finnish man. Often called a new age Viking he had a well cropped mane of red hair and a hyper fast mind.

Like the rest of the 84th he had been in his fighter waiting for this day. As the rest of the fighter crews scrambled into position Oskari flipped his inter ship communication on.

"Look alive we have targets to kill. Now then each of us has killed dozens of Phase Planes and countless Saucers but we have no idea what were dealing with the Turians."

"Keep yourcool out there. If you have to expose your self to take a shot. Don't take the shot. I'd rather have ten fighters get away then have one of you guys die your the best of the fucken best and we have other battles to fight."

"We don't know what we're dealing with but we don't care. We've flown into the unknown before and we fly there now. Stay alive and lets make the Turians fear the name Comet Hawks!" Cheers met him he looked over his HUD and saw the fighters were ready.

He locked his head back and let the mind machine interface interface his own mind with the computer. For all intents and purposes he was the fighter, its weapons, his claws, its engines, his legs.

"Right lets fly!" The engines screamed and the Typhoon fighter lunged forward mass effect core stressed with intra dampeners forcing him into his seat the fighter left the bay roaring forward.

"Wing A-C patrol are fleet. Wings D-F target the fighters. All bombers hang back when the sky is clear make a run. Confirm." Confirmations rang back Oskari.

The mass of incoming Turian Swift fighters loomed at his Hud, he smiled. Flipping his safety in his head he fired. The bolts of blue light that were the Laser cutters lanced out from his thin fighters hard points.

The twin beams sliced though a pair of Turian fighters there shields offering no resistant. With a slight mental shrug the single 120MM Autocannon that ran the length of the fighter barked a three round burst that tore another Turian fighter apart. Then _the_ Melee was joined.

Turian fighters danced and waved around the Alliances Typhoon Fighters. The Alliance Fighters were faster and more powerful and it was a slaughter.

The fighters were a blur as their large element zero cores lent them great agility and speed. Jinking, weaving, dodging and shooting. The harsh white glare of Autocannon fire tracers lighting the void.

Oskari swung his fighter in a tight hair pin turn spraying a bombardment of Autocannon shells into a set of Turian fighters a brief glow from the Glorys main cannon blinded the ship for a half second flying blind he fired a spray of lasers into a Turian fighter blowing it apart.

He took a quick scan of his HUD that over layed his mind. The fighters had taken a beating. Their shielding was nothing to lasers and their autocannons were too powerful for their shields to stop.

An order went out. And the bombers began to attack.

SHIFT

"Bombers incoming sir." Jemel nodded "Ready the GARDIAN defenses." The laser systems activated on True Warrior and they took aim and the incoming ships.

Unfortunately the Sandstorm class had a tremendous range.

Their Autocannons fired well before they got close with the target expending the_ir_ whole magazine of 160 shots using _the_ simple fact that a projectile in space does not stop to hammer ASR into the targets bringing True Warrior's shields down.

It was true, Sir Isaac Newton was the deadliest son of a bitch in space.

They flew back to the Carrier for more shells leaving Jemel to wonder how one stops a bomber from over five times normal range.

They skimmed lower over the Carriers sides there built in flow system instantly taking in more shells form onboard buffers that were flowed over to them and they began a second run.

Mean while Glory's rail gun hammered again hitting True Warrior and inflicting harm on the hull through the weakened shields. Glory though was not doing well.

A third Dreadnought blast hammered into the ships shields.

"Kinetic fields down by 83%." Lance nodded.

"Loses?"

"Three cruisers. The Turian lost about 15 cruisers and 25 frigates." Lance nodded. The Turians were gunning for the dreadnought. He was gunning for the smaller ships. Thats what explained the difference.

"All ships break engagement and activate stealth field, all fighters return to base we are retreating. Over clock the autocannons I want to put them on the back foot." Over clocking the guns was risky. You made the gun fire faster but the much higher rate was highly stress for the gun. Every minute of over clocking meant a good half hour of repair. A half hour of shooting and you had to replace the whole gun.

Auto cannons screamed as the sheer rate of fire drove outward their sheer heat scrambling sensors and forcing small frigates back behind bigger ships.

The Fighter groups quickly fell back to the carriers and they then, as a fleet, switched into stealth mode their inverters shifting from shooting to cloaking.

The Turians kept shooting for a little bit longer but when the Human fleet stopped shooting they lost target and Jemel ordered them to cease fire.

He was frowning, well the Turian equivalent of a frown. Thinking that battle over.

_How do you fight some one who can stealth a Dreadnought?_ He thought. This would not be easy.

"Tell the fleet we have secure the relay and tell them we will need reinforcements."

Around the Gas Giant Iconda The Glory and a small escort of cruisers loomed. The rest of the fleet had split up and were currently prepping for part two of the war.

Lance was just finishing the report up. Above all they had to get nearby Shanxi ready for war. It was one short jump away and the Turians would find them.

SHIFT

Cel was in paradise.

The operation had gone on with out a hitch. The nanobots fully fused to her body for all intents and purpose they were part of her, her weakened immune system not even needing any medicine to prevent her body from rejecting it.

She was right now laying out side in a park that was in the New Mississippi army base wearing just a tee shirt and a set of cut off jeans just the simple feeling of being out side with out a suit setting her into bliss.

She stood up and stretched. With a sigh she picked up a cell phone and slid it over her ear the inbuilt radio flared and the Joanus voice came over it.

"Having fun yet?" Joanus was the only AI she was willing to trust. They had wanted to hook her up with one to make sure the Alien did not set off the highly sensitive society. Years of war had given people a bit of a fight or fight response with regard to any non humans. She was honestly the first they had met that did not want to kill them. Not counting the Masari. So they had wanted to hook themselves up with one to keep her from screwing up. Joanus was the only one she would accept.

"Addicted really." She said honestly rubbing her hand over her head feeling the nubs of the cut down tendrils there.

"I don't suppose you can share this with the Migrent fleet?"

Joanus gave a odd burst of static. "Meh. We can't just give nanotech out its powerful stuff. Still preprogrammed medical bots are well with in our ability to sell or trade."

"What was the burst of static?"

"The binary equivalent of my hologram shrugging."

Cel sighed.

"Typical."

Joanus gave a second burst of static, if possible this one was questioning.

"What do you know about Quarians?" She asked.

"Everything. I have complete access to the extra net. In the time it took you to start to ask the question I had already uploaded every bit of information. Not well liked I see. Ourlikely decision on the subject is made not due to you being Quarians or the fact you made a race of AI's, that last one would actually make you some friends, but simple military fact."

Cel sighed. "Indeed I feel, guilty being the only Quarian who does not need a suit it, makes me almost ashamed of my good fortune."

"Ask not the fortune the lord give to you and not upon others for he has a plan in mind for each piece of space and time."

"That sounded religious." Cel said to Joanus the microphone in the blue tooth picking it up perfectly.

"It was."

"What kind of Religion does an AI have?" Cel said surprised that a AI would have enough emotion to have one.

"The closest equivalent in human history would be a fair mix of Unity and Christianity, with a healthy dollop of the Primary perception theory. The close Equivalent for you would be the Asari religion Siari mixed with Turian sprites."

Cel was confused Joanus then cut in. "The other Qurians want to speak to you they'rewaiting for you at the hotel." She nodded and stood up.

"Technically this is diplomatic so I could flow you there." Joanus commented.

"No I want to walk." She said back and began to walk there through park trails and into the city proper.

"So what is you religion? Do you have a god?"

"Its called Spiritism and its the most common religion among humans with Islam close behind with Buddhism third that followed by a long distance by Christianity."

"Why is Christianity." Her voice slipping on the odd word "So far behind?"

"Let just say when a Masari philosopher name Jezzuf showed up, sparks flew."

Cel shrugged. "As for you second question we have a God and a few saints."

"Who are the saints?" Cel asked looking both ways before crossing the street and started to walk down the side walk.

"There are five Saints, though I take it there'll soon be more."

"Why?" Cel asked.

"Well the five saints are Muhammad the prophet, King Alentus, Jilmen the betrayer, the Unknown maker, and Machinus the first."

Joanus hacked into a nearby holographic display and his hologram showed up in it and Cel stopped to watch him.

"Each one represents each of the known races, Human, Masari, Hierarchy, Creators, and AI's. Together they are the patron saints of theirraces."

"I thought you were at war with the Hierarchy?"

"Yes. Why do think Jilmen got the title betrayer, he betrayed the Hierarchy and helped Novus about 80 years before they found us. So far hes the only redeeming member of his race, save for Orlok."

Cel thought about it.

"You said known races."

"Yes." Joanus nodded "Each race, known or unknown has a patron saint it takes many months of argument and debate to find one for each of you. Knowing you they're likely to find a great thinker and philosopher and uplift him or her to become the Qaurian saint. Some one you already hold above."

"What does it take to become a saint?" She asked.

"You must be a great teacher, healer, philosopher, wise, brave. Basically the best you race can present."

Something he said caught up to her.

"AI's have there own saint?"

"Machinus the first, saint of the Machine. In all things mechanical she is manifest." Joanus said a picture of human women emerged with what looked like a circuit board printed over her pale, vague metallic skin.

"How can an AI have a saint! You don't have a soul!"

More then a few people on the street gave her odd looks, well odder then before.

"We do, all things have souls, plants have dim ones, Humans bright ones, and AI." He pointed to him self "are bright."

"Your telling me that a rock has a soul?"

"A very dim one, but yes, respect thy planet for it is alive." He said.

"What about wheels?" She pointed to a car going by. "They're Mechanical your telling me they have souls?"

"Dim ones, brighter then rocks but thats not saying much. The brightness of the soul of a machine depends on complexity, wheels are dim, axles brighter, Axles with differential and universal joints are bright indeed."

"Thats improbable." Cel said crossing her arms "A machine is just that a machine, just metal given purpose nothing more nothing less."

"Your implants new, give it time."

"What?" Cel said thrown.

"I think, and my thoughts cross the barrier into the synapses of the machine, just as the good doctor intended. But what I cannot shake, and what hints at things to come, is that thoughts cross back. In my dreams, the sensibility of the machine invades the periphery of my consciousness: dark, rigid, cold, alien. Give it time. The machine will make it self felt. Now you have some Quarian's to meet." Joanus gestured down the street and Cel nodded and resumed her trip at a brisk walk.

SHIFT

Three days ago the Batarians had landed on Hegdmr they were almost ready. TheirGeneral Menlon ready the army.

On his side was a full artillery regiment he had set up on the high ground over looking the city and the city it self was surrounded by three whole regiments of tanks and five of infantry

He was over looking a tactical map planing his assault. He looked up with a slight frown at the STG member in the room the orange Salarian looking professional, it oozed from his every pore.

"So your going to sneak into the city at night while we're fighting?"

Genson nodded "Yes we will relay any information we learn back to you what little our orbital scan can tell this city is going to be a bitch to take. They have dug in hard all around it. Many layers of trenches and bunkers worse then what ever you had."

Genson leaned over the map pointing out especially hard points. "In fact I say much of this is overkill honestly. They put everything they have into these defenses and lets be honest you don't have the best army." Menlon nodded he knew the weakness of his own force well.

"The only comparison I can make are from the Krogan rebellions. These are like the defenses the Turians made to fight waves of Krogan save they seem addicted to laying strings of some kind of wire every were. I don't even know were to begin with advice on where to attack other than shell the crap out of it."

"Oh I plan to." He said with a snicker.

SHIFT

Frank manned the outer trench. They were waiting for their first ploy, if you call artillery bombardment a "ploy". In the face of opposition of this kind and of this nature thats the first thing you try. Hell it was the first thing they would try.

The soft rumble of distant thunder soon echoed, the sound on incoming shells.

"This will be fun." Frank said a nearby marine nodded "Fucking fire works."

Mid way though the defenses a sort of truck activated. The main gun lifted it barrels skyward, the radar lit up the air scanning the air for miles tracking seeking the thing it was meant to shoot.

Artillery shells.

The twin, eight barrel, 20mm gattling guns of the Counter Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar, or C-RAM spun up and fired.

60,000 rounds a minute lanced upward in a single beam of light and unlike any other mass effect weapon their multiple barrels meant they never over heated.

The lance of light impacted an artillery shell destroying it in a flash of brilliant light and orange flame. The beam of tracers swept the air the gun jerking erratically as the beam left a trail of exploded air borne munitions behind it.

The explosions lit the air up and rained shrapnel upon the marines in the trench's like hail the light pieces of metal low terminal velocity doing no more damage to them than rain.

Frank lifted his hand up to try and ward off some of the steel rain from impacting his helmet, an uncomfortable feeling at best.

SHIFT

Menlon watched the air fill with explosions. What the hell was going on? As far as he knew C-RAM systems were to expensive to deploy in mass like they were doing.

Menlon was just about to order his gun crew to cease fire when a communication officer arrived.

"Sir they destroy the guns."

"What?" Menlon said as the thunder of guns grew silent and the only shells exploding in mid air were ones already in flight.

"How?"

"I don't know all I know is what was said, they came from nowhere and destroyed the guns."

"Impossible, have to come from somewhere." Genson said unaware of Flow technology.

"So, what now?" The communication officer and Menlon thought about it.

"We don't really have a choice, we attack."

SHIFT

"Look alive boys I think their coming." Frank poked his head out of a trench to confirm what his sergeant said. Yup the Batarians were closing on the outer edge of the barbed wire.

"Guns down!" Frank lifted his assault rifle out of the trench and rested it down on the trench wall as if it had a bipod. Other marines did so around him.

The Batarians soon worked their way through the first set of wire and were well into the second, unaware of the delay trip mines under their feet.

"Hold fire." the Sergeant said over communication and Frank drummed his fingers on the rifle.

As soon as they touched the third wire the order went on all systems and communication equipment.

"Fire at will!"

The whole trench line erupted in a hail of fire. Rifle roared into the Batarians who could not go forward or back. Behind the humans trenches artillery erupted.

They had little to do during the first invasion now they went to work. Shell roaring sky ward they pummeled downward in a tempo of death.

If the Batarians knew of human history they would know this scene, humans knew it as the first world war. The shell howled down and exploded. Depending on the protocol it was with fire, shrapnel, concussive blasts or air bursts. The ground was chewed apart under the hail of gun fire and rain of artillery.

Some tried to fall back, other tried to advance neither got any where.

Bullets cracked and hammered over head forcing them down into the rapidly liquefactioning soil. The stress forcing water out of it turning it into, historically enough, mud.

A tank trying to advance up was caught in the fire storm and destroyed when a semi mobile 80mm autocannon roared to life five shells drove it shield to nothing.

The spent buffer slid out the back the marine letting it fall only to slam another buffer into place and the gun roared. Five more shell and the tank was burning scrap.

The few Batrains that made it though the hell storm of, artillery, mines and gunfire found themselves toe to toe with marines.

One look at the one ton fighters made many want to run back across the hell storm the few he tried any way got bayoneted with ease.

The roar of the heavy machine gun was the song of victory ripping flesh and bone apart as it had since the invention of the water cooled machine gun... or rather since the Gatling gun.

The hail of lead intensify if at all possible and the humans reached the crescendo, it stopped.

For one brief second it sounded like peace had returned to the shell shocked planet. Batarians lifted their heads out of shell holes only to be met by an ungodly roar of howling men.

The Marines emerged from the trench and charged.

Each marine weighed a ton and a whole army of them bore down on helpless aliens bayonets out and guns roaring. More than one Batarian was run through with the overly large blade built into the rifles. And they did not stop. They passed the barbed wire easily enough ripping it apart with over sized armored hands and they pressed on.

Menlon saw his assault crumble, get thrown back, and now get annihilated in a counter attack. He turned to his communication officer and gave orders.

"I want the 8th to come over here drive these guys off!"

"The 8th is under attack." He said back as he held communication equipment to his ear, his eyes wide"On all sides, front and rear they can't move they're pinned!"

"What!" An explosion drew his attention and suddenly his force found it self under attack from flowed troops that emerged behind there lines.

Behind him the heavy Paladin class tank, armed with two 80mm autocannons and a Lancer secondary rail gun emerged from flow and began to rip into the unprotected flank with a full platoon of supporting infantry.

Many things can be said about the human army, small, maybe, expensive, yes.

What you also had to say was that it was fast, powerful, and not something you want to screw with.

Explosions marched through the Batarian base as mortars bombarded the hell out of it indiscriminately killing countless Batarians as marines sprayed their guns in controlled but lethal bursts.

The marines were terrors and they stormed every thing in their way like a tidal wave and just as stoppable. Nothing stood before them in a melee their guns blading and clubbing anything that had a gun as they spent round after round in a killing frenzy.

A marine burst though a door to a mobile command shelter and fired a scything burst that sent officer dieing everywhere. Unknowingly stepping over general Menlon he kicked a second door down to find a orange skinned Salarin who was cowering in a corner.

"Identify your self!" He said authoritarian gun pointing right to his head.

"Don't shoot! They took me captive, made me a slave I'm lucky you came."

"Damn Batarians." The Marine dropped the gun. "Got a name?"

"Genson."

"Well Genson lets get you into the city."

"Is it over?" The marine gave a short bark of a luagh.

"Over? Hell yes. Not a single one of the scum left, we killed them all." He said answering his look, "As they say we go with the flow,fight like the tide, kill like a Tsunami."

SHIFT

Orlok stood on Shanxi, his sensors attuned upward to the looming Turian fleet. They hadn't taken them long to find Shanxi being one short jump away.

"They're not orbitally bombing us. Good." His flat monotone voice rumbled, despited offers he had never changed it from the first contact war. "Or bad." He turned to see the Spec op trooper Carter who was fiddling with a sniper rifle.

Like most other good spec ops he had been bad at some point and had some cybernetic enhancement. In his case his whole left arm up to the shoulder, and some of his left neck. A radiation plasma blast from a walker main gun had splashed him, also the light and heat blinded him burning his eyes out. The overly blue of the iris the only sign they were robotic cameras that worked on multiple spectrum's.

"They may want us alive, slaves. We have no idea what the Turians want, they could plan to purify us, mine us, eat are livers. We don't know." He clicked the massive 25 shot buffer to the Battalion Formation gun sniper rifle, or the BFG rifle.

"Well I have no desire to upset that peace. Until further notice ourorbital Rail guns, radiation weapons and black hole bombs will remain inoperative until they shoot first. We don't want them to start destroying us."

"Radiation weapons? You mean nucks." Carter said.

"Yes, I never got over calling them that." Orlok said his massive robotic form shifting slightly.

"The Marine are getting ready do you know were there going to land?"

"No, no matter really no matter what they do they will come here. The main portal on and off world is in the capital New Jericho." Carter stood up and gestured over the city.

"The same city, I should remind you Glazanda broke his army's back upon."

"Yes, the city of a thousand sieges." Orlok spun around his high grade sensors picking out the forms of walkers that had be left as trophy's of victory, barbarians had skulls, they had walkers.

"And a million battles." Carter noticed the wistful tone.

"You built the defenses, the only reason we stopped them is you."

"I know, I do not regret it, only I regret what forced me to do it."

Carter nodded.

"We'll let them come. We are ready."

SHIFT

_She was running._

_Grass brushed her thighs as she ran though the trees, she stopped before a tree of some kind, a Red Wood some part of her noted, she reached to climb it the rough bark under her fingers digging in the splinters welcome as they meant she was alive._

_She got to the top and looked around panting from the exertion she looked around the sun was setting casting light across the trees._

_She spun around and started._

_A network of Iron black clouds grew across the sky, a glowing core of pale blue light in the center._

_She reached out to try and touch it the many miles shrinking in a instant._

_A mind unlike any before reached back and she recoiled in horror._

_SHIFT_

Cel awoke screaming the well insulated rooms taking the sound well and kept from awakening her fellow Quarians.

She panted deeply aloud she asked "What was that?" The nightmare clear as a true memory. She then noticed her chest was glowing.

Ripping her shirt off she stared at the blue glow.

A near by holo tank lit up and Joanus form took it up.

"You had a dream didn't you?" She stared at him.

"You know? What was it?"

"What did I say earlier?I think, and my thoughts cross the barrier into the synapses of the machine, just as the good doctor intended. But what I cannot shake, and what hints at things to come, is that thoughts cross back. In my dreams, the sensibility of the machine invades the periphery of my consciousness: dark, rigid, cold, alien."

"Speak Quarian!" She said still some what panicked from the dream.

"At ease, do you have an equivalent of phantom limb syndrome?" She took a breath.

"Yes, when you have lost a limb and yet it still feels like your moving it to the rest of your body."

Joanus nodded. "Thats it. As far as the psychologist can tell this is Phantom limb syndrome in reverse. Your body unconsciously reacting to the machine inside you, a machine, I will remind you we hooked to your nervous system for power. To put basically your brain is hooked to the machine."

"That makes no sense I feel nothing awake why would I react to it asleep? Consciously or not?"

"Considering we removed three pounds of muscle tissue from your chest for the device, we then placed two point five pounds of synthetic muscle to envelope it to make sure there was no difference in strength and musculature, not counting the power nodes through out your body, in your bones, muscles, fat, skin all hooked to nerves we have interlaced with superconducting alloys to provide the power and the real wonder is why your body does not react more."

She thought about that.

"And the glow?" She gestured to her chest, only to notice the glow was gone.

"The assembler making more nanobots. Its programed to only work when you sleep as the glows a bit disconcerting. It already stopped glowing."

"You should have told me." She crossed her arms.

Joanus hologram bowed. "Forgive me, my processes were tasked to capacity it slipped my, minds." He chuckled as he tapped his head.

Cel thought hard.

"So what I felt was what you call the Machines soul?"

"Yes, every being who has ever had an implant without a AI implanted reports the same two things, one, their dreams have an omnipresent black cloud, steel black, on the edge of the image no matter the context. And second, they remember every dream they have ever had from the implant froward."

"Back up, every dream?"

"Yes, the mind instinctively uses the inbuilt memory of the implant, like a computer back up the mind then shifts those memory's to long term memory after you awake and the computer wipes the memory of its self clear for the next dream. I should note they're never programed for that they just do."

She thought about it. Her dream was like nothing she had before and the mind felt different, to her own she had to acknowledge something was up.

"So, was it reverse phantom limb syndrome or a machine soul?"

"Both." Joanus said like it was the only answer in the world.

"Can't be that simple, ones medical, the others religious."

"Why not?" He cocked his holographic head and put his hands out make a few holographic images. On the left hand E=MC squared the other the symbol of spiritualism, a complex Celtic knot in the shape of a six pointed star nestled close to a half moon.

"One represent mathematics, the other religion. The atheist says the Big Bang was pure mathematics. The fundamentalist say god made the universe. I say there both right. God started it all and let math take over," He crashed his hands together and pulled them apart a holographic galaxy growing between them. "Either way the universe is a wonder to behold."

Seeing her blank look he changed track "Sentient life evolved by survival of the fittest, god made sentients, I say god gave it a push. Why else would so many different species to go down that path? It would have been so easy for us to be alone, and were not." He smiled.

She had to think of that again. It made sense. So many things were unexplainable, from Asari melding, to this machine soul, she could not argue with what her own mind saw and felt, she remembered it.

She sighed. "Are you trying to convert me?" She said Joanus shrugged.

"I answer questions. If the answers fit your own belief well, I merely provide information not ways of thinking."

She sighed again.

"May I recommend you attend a service if you find your self drawn as you are?"

"What?"S said confused. "No out of the question." She rebounded. "What are they going to do sing?"

"A little. More of a learning session the only requirement for Spiritism is acknowledging the life in everything. Man, mineral, machine."

"I still say a machine can't have a soul and,," She stopped "I am arguing philosophy with an AI at, what time is it?"

"26 hour day, number reset at mid point, 4 pm." He said in a monotone that ment he was reading off a official low grade AI, or as everyones else in the galaxy called them a VI.

He then chuckled "Odd things life brings to us. Before I go one last passing thought, you say a machine has no soul? Are each of the Flotillas ships unique?"

"Some what." She said and it was true as you learned the ships you could tell each individual fact about the ships, details that made each ship unique. Even ships of the same model were subtly different.

"That is each ships, unique machine soul." The hologram cut out leaving Cel behind with nothing but thoughts.

_-Codex:Alliance Military tactics_

_The Alliance tactics are a mix of two polar extremes, static entrenchment, and fast asymmetrical warfare._

_The combination was born due to the Hierarchy walkers who could not be bested in the open save by massive air attacks, the most effective tactic was to lure them into well prepared kill zones of artillery and heavy weapons, and by Alliance standard man portable heavy crew served weapons are comparable to vehicle weapons._

_The problem was a strong point can be sieged and ignored, but thats where the asymmetrical part comes in._

_Small forces are ported behind enemy lines and build rapid nanobot assembled bases, not unlike the nano assemblers used by Novus during their war with the Hierarchy, and once a flow field is built up they strike._

_They hit convoys, raid rear positions, attack were the Hierarchy's weak, divide forces and inflict as much damage as they can to try and goard the Hierarchy to hit the well dug in city's to stop the attacks. Just hitting the local bases does little but provide local relief as the troops involved if smoked out will flow away to a second base, or to the main strong point._

_To counter this the Hierarchy's had little choice but play along building ever more powerful walkers to try and counter attack cumulating in the massive hexpod form of the Siege Walker. In turn prompting ever more powerful Alliance artillery to bring them down with the recent MK9 Smiters built to fire Bunker Busting Matter Bombs (BBMB) being the top of the line._

_To date none of the most powerful artillery in Alliance knowledge vaults been deployed on any council or terminus systems_ faction.


	9. Battle and Drill

**_Right then lets start this off, again._**

**_note:PMs with Halotoken inspired todays codex_**

**_right two things._**

**_first about the size of great war on Shanxi, read on and you see i made it a beepen big war, the point was that in a war of big battles Shanxi was a big one. _**

**_second about the reltive size of the Hierarchy and the Allinence, to those who think this is unlikely i point to the winter war, were little Finland held off big soviet russia with out hyper advance weapons, technogys, armor and i plan to say this latter but the Hierarchy has a really slow constrution rate compared to the instent novus assemblers and Masari, "Everything begins with choice" mind matter maker, thing, what the heck is it called? it why you can't repair destroyed walker sockets in the feild. In other word they build more like 21 centry humans, years to build a battle ship, then Novus nano lathers. so yes i think with these advantages teh Allience can fight even if Hierarchy out numbers them by a tremendus scale, think i do a codex on that._**

**_third: the song in the last part was a last minate add on to show how fast the Allience reacted if you listen to the song, it like three minates long, I post a link at the end of the chapter not to spoil it. Its a bit polticly charged though so, disclaimer time, I own nether the song nore do i mean to support, nor disrespect the the group mentioned in the song in any way, shape or form. I was listening to it and suddenly came over me to use it._**

_**Retcon: now edited by Halo token.**_

_**BOLD leaning type: text messages.**_

_Leaning_:thoughts plus song.

**/Bold with slashs/**_**:non sentint AI Thoughts and or speach**_

* * *

><p>The Officer in Libertà police station was not expecting this.<p>

He leaned back, the lighter military police armor whining softly as it servos hissed. The Turian in front of him had a straight face.

"Let me get this straight you want to join the army?" The Turian nodded.

"Yes. The blockade the Batarians have on this planet means that we won't be going home soon and personally when they come back I want to defend my self." He rubbed hand on a scar carved into his head plates.

"Not just me but I have at least 200 other former slaves who want to help, mostly Turians, few Salarians and Asair as well a couple Drell as well. A Hannar too but how he will be able to help is beyond me."

"You do know it takes months to make a good marine?" He said remembering his own training.

"So? You told us your self a fleet big enough to throw those guys off is not going to be here any time soon since you lost control of the relay." He frowned "Why we decided to declare war on you escapes me, I apologize for my race for that by the way."

"Apology accepted," The Officer thought about it and sighed. "I'll ask command about it, they'll either go for or shoot the idea down either way its out of my hands."

The Turian nodded. "I understand."

SHIFT

"I like it." Captain Jackson said. The Alexander was currently cloaked behind the moon waiting for a chance to help break the blockade.

Luna chuckled back over there link. "So what your going to send it up the chain?"

"Yes, you can never have to many marines, I pass it up the chain with my recommendation we act on it."

SHIFT

President Rachel Knight held the piece of paper upon which the request from the Turians was written on. From what they could tell Turians were very nation minded, a lot like humans come to think of it, and the fact they wanted to help could mean any number of thinks.

The fact the council was supporting the Batarian attempt to renslave was a factor.

Still, they were at war with the Turians and if these guy joined the army they have to live out the five year tour of service.

She was not entirely comfortable with that.

Still you judge a man, or alien on there character, not what they looked like, she said as much about mutants in her reelection campaign. One she would hold true now.

She signed her name to the paper, she would inform the training station of New Mississippi to expect the new recruits."

SHIFT

The Turians had landed on Shanxi, no contention so far no contact with the enemy but that would change. Right then the commander of the army, general Halin was riding a Varren, a kind of 4 wheeled light combat vehicle like a Humvee, to something his scouts wanted him to see.

"This better be good." He muttered.

"It is." A scout said from the shot gun, literally with the weapon he held, seat. The Varren crested a small hill and Helin almost chocked on his own spit.

Sitting in a massive hole, a crater he presumed, was a quadruped walking machine bigger then most buildings. All around it sat the Turian scout platoon that had been scouting for enemy's, though given the sheer flatness of this planet they were a bit redundant.

"What is that thing." Helin said as the Varren rolled up to a sort of path.

"Not sure, we were trying to find out when we got you."

Helin walked out and stared up at the looming machine noting the fact it had six tubes on its top, it was a weapon.

"Did the Batarian see anything like this?"

"No sir. I read reports and while the STG claimed to have captured an enemy battle suit their is no sign of, any thing like this, thing."

The small squad and the General moved into the machine everything was clearly labeled, there was even a hole cut in the hull of it between its two front legs to enter, it was defiantly some kind of attraction, maybe a prop used in a vid? He told him self a weapon like this was, silly.

SHIFT  
><strong>Unknown life form detected, scanning data base,,, Turian, new species, downloading language files,,,,Download complete,, running introduction programing/**

SHIFT

"Greetings and welcome to the Shanxi war memorial." The Turians gun lept up and scanned around Helin put his hand on one gun and pushed it down.

"VI." He said noting the monotone they walked into the gutted machine till they found a sort of holographic terminal, a hologram of a women dressed as a tour guide was projected.

"Welcome to the Shanxi war Memorial I am the Visa AI in charge of the Memorial, state inquiry." The Turians looked at each other, it said it was a AI but spoke like a VI.

Helin put his pistol in his holster. "Do you have a name?"

"I have not received a individual designation, I am simply known as Visa."

"Are you sentient?"

"No, Visa AI's are very low grade intelligences and though we can be upgraded to true sentience this is a rare occurrence." Helin turned to the other Turians.

"Its a VI." Then back to Visa. "What is this, thing."

"This is the Habitat walker, Pillar of Oblivion, the personal walker of Hierarchy under seer Glazanda who attacked in 2030 with 40 million Grunts and 340 walkers."

Helin stood back and stared at the thing.

"40 million?"

"Correct, 40 million grunts, and a indeterminate number of lost ones and at least a thousand Brutes."

"How do you destroy this thing?" He asked looking at the sheer size.

"My programing tells me to state the following joke:not easily. Most walkers are destroyed by artillery fire the Pillar of Oblivion was killed by an air strike and massed close range Lancer fire."

Helin looked around "How much damage did this Glazanda do?"

Visa hologram faded showing a blasted hell scape.

"This was Shanxi during the invasion. By frequent deployment of a WMD known as the Purifier he weakened the crust of Shanxi prompting systemic activity and volcanic activity. The most clear example of the damage Glazanda inflicted can be found in the Sky rim mountains."

"What did he do to them?" Helin asked.

"He leveled them." Helin blinked. "He destroy mountains?"

"The Purifyer turns matter into energy when fired, mountains are good targets due to their solid stone nature."

"Your lieing no one can destroy a mountain."

"The following is a live test of a captured purifier warhead." Visa monotoned, some how sounding petulant, and her hologram shifted to a video in a desert somewhere.

The explosion that filled the screen was unlike any he had seen. It did not form a mushroom cloud like any big explosion did it was a solid wall of red flame and heat expanding in all directions.

"The blast was over 200 mega tons in strength and converted 80 percent of the matter in the target area into energy." The light faded showing a barren target zone, even more barren then before, the rock was all hot and glowed with heat.

"Why isn't there a crater?" He noted the whole thing sounding slightly fake to him, still you don't go to this kind of trouble for a vid with out mentioning it was a vid at some point.

"The explosion of the Purifyer is programed to go in all direction save downward. If it did so then the massive rent it would make in the planet crust would render harvesting operations of the Hierarchy more difficult due to the tectonic instability. In the great Shanxi war Glazanda used this to weaken the crust of Shanxi and completely wipe out the Sky Rim mountains to try and force the 20 thousand marine defenders to surrender."

"How the hell does 20 thousand hold off 40 million?"

"My programing tells me to state the following joke:not easily. They do so by not moving from their entrenchments and letting the Grunts come to them."

"Sir, is this real?" Helin turned to face the Turian solider behind him.

"Honestly? I don't know." He looked around. "This is a hell of a bluff to pull off in such detail."

Behind his back Visa hologram winked out.

"If its true explains a lot of there tactics, they dig in hard, they have suits of power armor from science fiction vids."

"And why we have such a hair trigger response to attack." He spun round to face Visa, only find the hologram had changed.

Instead of a tour guide there stood a women in what looked like an old time ball gown though her gloves that stretched to her shoulder were more like something form plate mail knights.

"Who are you?" Helin asked. The hologram scoffed.

"I am the EDI AI Samantha and I am here to ask you a question, why are you here?" She pointed accusingly.

"The Kretzen attacked, unprovoke one of ourcruisers for no reason."

"An act we apologized for and are willing to pay for. But your captain refused to accept that and turned this into a war!" She was still pointing the holographic finger a inch from the weak point in his crest. He tried to push the hand away only to pass though the hologram.

"My orders are to take the nearest colony near the relay,"

"Catapult." Helin stopped at being cut off and gave her a look. "They're called Catapults."

"Take the nearest colony to the **relay**." He put emphasis on the word "From there I assume the Councils going to subjugate you and have you join the Turian Hierarchy." Samantha laughed as he kept talking. "As a client race."

"As refreshing as it is to fight some who does not see extinction as the goal of the war. What chance do you think honestly have?" She gestured to the walker they were inside.

"This is Shanxi! The land of a thousand sieges! If the Hierarchy couldn't though beat us what chance do you have?" She put a lot of humor in the sentence.

"Your "empire," Helin said shouting back "is small, has to be or we would have found it by now, your powerful but few."

"Not as small as you think!" Samantha shouted back her hologram shifting so it showed a map of the galaxy with both Red and Blue dots.

"The Hierarchy has thousands of planets, we have 150, every day is a fight for survival, each time we fight them we fight for our survival and we have made them pay!" Red lights winked out rapidly.

"In our time fighting the Hierarchy we have destroy 400 planets to the last." Her face grew sad. "We have killed more beings then you have ever seen. Our people are hard and strong tempered by years of ceaseless war. The Hierarchy went so far to call a cease fire just to rebuilt and put down some, rebellions in there own territory."

Helin was silent trying to grasp what he was being told.

"But if you think you can do what the Hierarchy can not then, please, come to us." She gave a laugh "Our guns will welcome you. We have had to claw for every single colony, every advance we make has had to be paved in blood, whether red Hierarchy or blue Turian."

She then looked at him, eye to holographic eye. "Are you the commander?"

"Yes."

"Then I must ask you one thing. Stop. Our people are hard and tempered in war, they will never accept you if you keep fighting us. Already your fleet action has raised tensions, every act of war, every bullet you fire, every shell you shoot, every man you kill, will make it harder for us to accept you, you fight us, and we will hate you for all time."

"My ordera are clear." Samantha snorted.

"Ya that a great excuse. Create hate between two people for all time due to orders." Samantha hologram loomed close to his face.

"Think for your self, stop fighting this war will lead the Turians to nothing but pain."

"My orders are clear." He said following the old maxim, a good Turian follows bad orders.

"There a old human saying, Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind." Samantha shock her head sadly.

"When the storm comes you will die."She leaned back. "This terminal had been updated with are entire history dating back to 2012. Use its information to convince your superiors to change your orders." Samantha's hologram faded and Visas came back in its place.

"Information update successful data banks ready for new inquiry."

Helin turned "Get those specters up here to question it." The squad nodded and a man walked off to get them.

SHIFT

Six robotic arms unfolded from the ceiling an AI voice spoke over speakers.

"Arms out please." Aliner gulped at the sight of the arms stretched around her almost like a cage.

When the Alliance began accepting alien marines she had signed up with the other. She was unsure about it but the short term of service sold her, so to speak.

She had no way of knowing the term was so short due to how violent it was.

"Arms out please." The AI said again and she nodded and stretched her arms out.

The Lather went to work. Nanobot flowed in a mist over her body and light beams worked them into solid form. As one the silvery form took place as robotic servos and armor took form.

She squeaked slightly unnerved by her first experience inside a nano lather. She shifted unconsciously. The monotone came back.

"Hold still."

Beams moved some what erratically over her body due to her occasional twitches and flinches. Armor grew from the mist of raw minerals around her form. Plate after plate came to be as the impartial robotic arms grew the shell around her as one solid single formed piece.

Aliner flinched as a robot arm dropped a preformed helmet on her head and the HUD lit up around her. She felt her self losing control over her body, the armor tougher then any cage. She was beginning to panic and was taking deep breaths to try and clam her self.

Arms extended placing preforged pieces on to her. The armor locked down as nanobots fused the plates together and merged the armor into a single form fitting piece.

The beams crept up her body armor forming behind it as the nanobots created the armor.

An hour and a half later and the armor had almost finished lathing.

Aliner was almost in a panic, long years of being caged coming back with a vengeance, the armor compressing, trapping her.

Her armor was currently locked up and her arms still stuck out to her side as she waited for the last component to be added.

A set of arms from behind carefully installed the last part component. A Masari made matter engine to provide free power to the suit. As energy went though the suit the armor final stopped its lock down and the arms fell to his side and he rolled his shoulders. The last parts were lathed together on his back and finally the Vengeance suit was ready for war.

When power flooded the suit she lept forward in a slight panic glad to be able to move, only to trip over much larger feet. She tried to stand up right away only to find her feet would not respond right sliding out from under her.

"Please madam, calm down." The AI said back.

"Calm down? I can't walk and I'm wearing a tin can!"

A door opened and a veteran in the black armor that was a veteran dress uniform.

"Coordinations always a problem for Gunnys." He reached down and hefted her around her shoulders carrying her as she got her legs under her.

"Its, tight." She said the armor feeling like it was constraining around her.

"Claustrophobics always have that problem, don't worry in time it feel like you had a second skin."

she nodded then asked.

"What's a Gunny?"

"Rookie. Look at you armor its just gunmetal gray it has not had camouflage programed on to it and it won't till you first fight."

He balanced her back up and she stumbled but she was standing soon enough.

"Ok you need to do some basic stretches to test if you suits ready." he held a pad up. "We jokingly call this the Halo test, luckily only Gunnys have to take it we would go mad if we had to take it every time we suited pad lit green and he lifted it to eye level. "Ok just follow the light with your eyes." She nodded in her helmet.

She looked down, left, right, then he walked around forcing her to follow it by turning around, stumbling a couple time on her much bigger feet.

"iWell your doing better. Try walking, not running, forward." She did so clunking in her armor a bit heavily.

"How are you so silent?"

"Practice, though your never match a spec op at stealth."

She nodded and walked forward and left the infantry assembler.

A large group of marines, the new alien ones, were there each trying to figure their damn armor out. There were about 40 of them forming training group C. Walking for them was hard in their oversize armor. The fact that the designs were new was not helping as a few suits were less then optimally built.

Well they had to test run these suits for a reason.

"Alright listen up Gunnys!" They turned to face the black armored marine who walked up.

"I am you drill instructor Charles Butcher commands seen fit to give you guys armor and make you marines, as of now you are the first Libertà marine regiment. If I had my way no way a alien would set foot in the marine army. But seeing as how three of the four races here," He stared at a Turian till he gulped and polarized his face plate. "Have never hurt a human in there life, I am willing to let bygones be bygones, but your life will be living hell here as it is for every Gunny."

He looked around. "A marine's strength is not his armor, his weapon, his numbers, his fire support or his technology. Its his endless will to drag one more enemy into hell before he is taken there, no matter what." He leaned in close one of the few Drell there who gulped and took a step back. "You are not marines, you are Gunnys and I will drill till you are marines or god help me I'll rip the armor off you and send you packing." He looked around the Gunnys

"Your armor is the best it can be, you can look up its full capacity later, only thing you need to know for drill is that it weighs a ton, your about five time stronger, about twice as fast, and as I'm sure you noticed the larger size means you need to get used to it. Until you run an obstacle course with out tripping you never handle a live weapon as long as I live."

He looked at the Gunnys.

"Right now we'll start acclimatizing you to that armor. Your helmets HUD or heads up display shows objectives and directions to them, your current objective is to take to the track and run fifty laps."

"Fifty?" Adrell said who had never been in the army before said.

"No seventy five." The Drill Instructor said "You will trip and you will fall, and you will get back up and you will keep moving! Follow the map on your HUD and get moving." He walked off and leaned against a Mako IFV to watch.

Aliner looked at her, HUD she supposed.

"I think its this way." She pointed and a few nods met her inside helmets. She looked around a few of the Gunnys were arguing.

Though she did not know it Charles was watching, at this point it was hoped that some one, for good or ill, would emerge as the impromptu leader of the group, competition brought out the best in people.

Aliner did not pick up on this and started to walk to the track a few others with her. The sergeant shook his head as the rest of the Gunnys peeled off in ones and two, some going the right way others the wrong way... and if history held true then the local Marines would not be any help if he remembered his own time as a gunny right.

SHIFT

The first shipment of Turian ground troops made its way though the relay. The troops already on the ground had been on the ships. These were dedicated transports loaded with ground troops, tanks, IFV, supply's, munitions, everything you needed for a war.

And a reason why the Comet Hawks would destroy it.

The Carrier, the Enterprise was on the edge of the system and the group of Sandstorm bombers and the Hoplite B class cruiser, Patton, waited at the edge of the Catapult.

Captain Keara Gale stood on the Patton with a savage gleam in her eye.

Before she was in the navy she was in the 1st Ireland Light infantry, and despite not having a drop of Irish blood in her she had picked up the traditional accent.

"Right then lets teach these boys a leason in fire power! Declock and fire the main gun! Dan! Play song five!"

"You really hate these guys don't you?" The Patton's AI said back.

"Course I do! They killed our troops! Now play song five."

Dan sighed in his AI processors, Keara, heck men who served in either the 1st Ireland light, or 1st Ireland heavy bombardment, tend to have a flare for the dramatic and have a strong personality, they enjoyed playing right into most of the Irish stereotypes about themselves, even if finding an honestly Irish man was like finding a needle in a hay stack.

They also had one of the strongest Esprit de corps of the whole army.

Song five was from her personal MP3 player, she often played songs to build moral during battle, it worked oddly enough and the practice was common on the human fleet. Ihe number of times Warrior of the world had been played in combat could not be counted.

The song it self was the old Irish rebel song-Come Out Ye Black and Tan. He never did get the obsession she had with the old IRA, moot point now but she kept muttering they would have won "If the damn aliens hadn't landed."

He chuckled when he noticed had had only been 2 and a half seconds since she asked another couple and she asked why he had not done so.

He activated the song and the black hole gun at the same time.

_I was born on a Dublin street where the Royal drums do beat  
>And the loving English feet they tramped all over us,<br>And each and every night when me father'd come home tight  
>He'd invite the neighbors outside with this chorus:<em>

The Patton declocked in front of the shocked Turrians who had time to notice the flash of light at the front of the Hoplite

The Hoplite type B cruiser ship was armed with a Black hole bomb for its spinal weapon. Just as the gun fired into the shocked Turians the first courus played

_Oh, come out you black and tans,  
>Come out and fight me like a man<br>_

The black hole fired from the front of the ship warping light around it with is gravitational force and sped across space. Bombers set around the Catapult waited for it to hit, six second later it did.

_Show your wife how you won medals down in Flanders  
>Tell them how the IRA<br>Made you run like hell away,  
>From the green and lovely lanes in Killeshandra.<em>

The black hole bomb ripped the transport apart in a whirlwind of intense gravitic energy then killed 500 helpless Turian foot troopers who could never have fought back.

Around the Catapult Sand Storm bombers opened up with heavy autocannons firing ASR round into the two escorts from hyper range exsosting there ammunition quickly in the shields there guns, like the Pattons Overclocked.  
><em><br>Come let me hear you tell  
>How you slammed the great Pernell,<br>When you fought them well and truly persecuted,  
>Where are the smears and jeers<br>That you bravely let us hear  
>When our heroes of sixteen were executed.<em>

Autocannons howling the Patton lundged forword like a wild beast the hail of heavy rounds from its front arc of fire like a hail storm of light that ripped the last vail of shielding from the twin escort Cruisers hulls. Leaving their hull wide open.

"Whats going on?" The Turian captain yelled as in less then a minute he lost a transport and his ship lost is shielding.

_Oh, come out you black and tans,  
>Come out and fight me like a man<br>Show your wife how you won medals fown in Flanders  
>Tell them how the IRA<br>Made you run like hell away,  
>From the green and lovely lanes in Killeshandra.<em>

The Patton fired a spray of antimatter from a set of forwod guns, one of the few Protocols that worked with the memory overclocking took up. They flew across the space in seven seconds.

_Come tell us how you slew  
>Those brave Arabs two by two<em>

_T_hey impacted the hull in eight, and in five,

_Like the Zulus they had spears and bows and arrows,_

They exploded. The fux antimatter detonated and peeled the hull back with the force of the explosion and more antimatter rained on to the hull.

_How you bravely slew each one  
>With your sixteen pounder gun<br>And you frightened them poor natives to their marrow._

The first cruiser was down and the Patton turned on the second.

The Turian captain was shocked this was so fast then he communication officer spoke.

"Sir picking a transmission from the ship."

"Play it!" He said what played was chilling with the knowledge they had just destroyed a cruiser in under minate.

_Oh, come out you black and tans,  
>Come out and fight me like a man<br>Show your wife how you won medals down in Flanders  
>Tell them how the IRA<br>Made you run like hell away,  
>From the green and lovely lanes in Killeshandra.<em>

His ship blew up before the chorus was done and a ship, a frigate fell under the guns of the Patton. Rapidly it sped its engines up to escape the thundering guns and the Patton let it, they had transports to destroy.  
><em><br>The day is coming fast  
>And the time is here at last,<br>When each yeoman will be cast aside before us,  
>And if there be a need<br>Sure my kids wil sing, "Godspeed!"  
>With a verse or two of Stephen Behan's chorus.<em>

The overclocked guns screamed in space and the ship rattled like a tin can as each gun fired as fast as a machine gun ripping the transports apart shields were flayed under Cruiser grade cannons in slaughter as almost 2,500 Turians in five transports were torn apart their non miltary grade shields rippped apart in a hail storm of almost 6 shots a second.

The surviving ship was the Frigate that began to run the last thing that the ships sensors picked up before leaving was the last of the song.

Oh, come out you black and tans,  
>Come out and fight me like a man<br>Show your wife how you won medals down in Flanders  
>Tell them how the IRA<br>Made you run like hell away,  
>From the green and lovely lanes in Killeshandra.<p>

SHIFT

"HA before the song even ended!" Keara said with a smile Dans AI activated a holotank.

"Show a bit more respect please, we killed over 2,000 enemy foot troops, in a highly distasteful but necessary attack."

"Distasteful? They wanted to kill us!"

"I know, that makes it necessary. But this, we killed them and they had no chance of fighting back, at all they could only wait there turn to die. Call me old, but there is no honor in this, it must be done, but I must not like it."

"Hump, you think to much." She said back the words getting to her some what.

"If I don't then no one else will."

_-Codex:History of Shanxi-_

_Founded in 2030 Shanxi was originally an army base and a point to launch attacks into Hierarchy territory_

_Over time Civilians joined the military family and in 2033 Shanxi graduated from an occupied planet to a colony._

_For many years Shanxi was on the front line of the war between the Hierarchy and the Alliance in that time it has withstood many sieges and direct attacks. A estimated total 4.93 Billion Grunts have been killed on the planets surface, not at once but over the life time of the colony._

_In 2035 Glazanda the Burner, murderer of ten thousand, conquer of five thousand planets, invaded with a army of 40 milion grunts, 340 walkers, the then new Siege walkers making up 40 of those, supported by 180 Assault Ships. He also brought a total of ten Purifiers a unprecedented number that has never been repeated before or since. The assault was part of a general assault on a half dozen worlds and systems to pin forces down._

_For almost a whole generation he lay seige to Shanxi. Almost every city on the planet was leveled, people living in almost bunker like constructs that were more underground then anything and the metros were turned into a vast refuge camp and in a daring raid that saw his entire air force destroyed Glazanda destroyed the portal off world isolating the 20 thousand marines on the burning world._

_Glazanda turned the planet into a Holocaust as the Purfiyers destroyed the world ripping the crust apart and flaring the sky with volcanoes the weakened crust made. Leveling the once great sky rim mountains and boiling away the oceans. Only the city's were immune due to mega weapon countermeasures but they were not immune to the damage being done to the planet._

_The Marines fought in ash up to their thighs as they wared long and hard until Lord Charos emerged with most of the Alliance fifth fleet finally free to help due to some recent victory's and in a massive six hour assault they defeated Glazanda who without his fleet was made vulnerable with a massive influx of reinforcements they killed the hierarchy with orbital bombardment and savage fighting._

_Glazanda died when his personal habitat walker fell and when he left it he was killed by Lord Charos himself._

_Shanxi had gone from a garden world to a dead one. It took years to restore the planet, but it never regained it importance as a hub of war. The counter attack of the Alliance had taken a number of key worlds a few rendered the importance of Shanxi moot._

_Shanxi was rebuilt, the oceans that were boiled away replaced with five comet impacts, nothing could be done to rebuild the famous Shanxi mountains though and the planet is still highly volcanic and earth quake prone due to the relative thinness of the crust in places._

_Shanxi is currently the flattest planet known. With no mountains the planet has nothing to stop winds and windstorms of almost 300 miles an hour are common. The effect is often compared to a gas giants wind storm. Trees, mostly storm resistant palm trees modified to take a far wider range of tempter, are found in small forests in the wild parts of the planet and the vast plains that take up almost the entire land mass of the planet teem with herds of buffalo, dear and elk in the norther parts of the planet. The most common predator are wolves. The animals survive the massive windstorms by hiding in the lee of hills and old shell holes._

_The planet as a whole is surprisingly fertile the high volcanic content of the soil giving it good soil and many of the farming industry's that operate far from the front line work on Shanxi. Principle export are food products._


	10. Calm

**_new chapta._**

**_right only thing is this is a build up chapter i had planed to have action in it but it just did not come out that way. next chapter should have far more fighting. sorry Halotoken i promsed violence and violence we shall have! _**

**_this chapter explores more of what civlan life is and how prevlent nano technoloy is for the Allience and give the start of the Citideal figureing out Alliance armored suits._**

_**BOLD leaning type: text messages.**_

_Leaning_:thoughts plus song.

**/Bold with slashs/**_**:non sentint AI Thoughts and or speach**_

* * *

><p>It took a week but Cel finely built up the nerve.<p>

For a church it was moderately sized, not unlike something the Quarian's would have made if they built buildings. Being made of solid stone and clearly able to serve multiple purposes.

She stood across the street looking at it, trying to ignore all the looks she got from the people passing by. Aliens who did not want to kill them were still new to humanity and quite frankly, she was gawked at, and it unnerved her somewhat.

For once she wished she had the polarized visor and she seriously began thinking about replicating the Quarian hood.

Joanus broke her introspection.

"You have five hours till the others go looking for you." She nodded. She had told the others she may as well look for a pilgrimage gift the Alliance would part with easier then nanotechnology, though arguably her own augmentation counted somewhat since they might be able to replicate it, though she would likely die in the process.

She planned to pick a pilgrimage gift up as well, some of their off the shelf computer technology practically made her drool. And since all the Quarians were being treated like ambassadors she had been given an almost unlimited budget, so she could just go and buy a lot of resources, though given how all mining operations were government owned that might not be an option.

Heck almost everything was under government control. From shipping to farming. Just about every industry was under government control.

She shook her head from her musings. A hopefully empty building was ahead of her, she could not take the stares much longer, and it was supposed to be empty on Tuesdays.

She took a breath and walked toward the building.

The structure was a fairly large building made of stone looking a bit like like an old cathedral, save much smaller, bigger then a high school gym story house, it even had the small stain glass windows. She knocked on the door.

A teenager opened the door. He had a set of blue jean, a tee shirt, short trimmed hair and a blue tooth look alike in both ears that were quite common among those who were not Synergyed but giving them almost all the perks, it was the same thing Cel wore her self save modified for her ear equivalents.

He frowned and crossed his arms. "No offense, killer costume and all but that is not the most respectful thing you could do in a church."

He thought it was a costume? She thought to her self. "If it was a costume would my legs be jointed this way?" She said in a every annoyed tone as she lifted her leg up from the knee.

"I'm sorry." He said with a slight bow? The archaic act confused her. "You must be one of the new Quarians, normally at this point I welcome you in the name of the saint of you race. But since he is unknown then I'll just say god look over you please come in." She did so.

"Odd. We had one of the orange, big eyed ones, a Salarian I think, ya thats it, any way he dropped by from the army base and started to asked questions. Genson I think his name was he took notes, notes! I don't even pay attention that much."

Cel walked into the open room. "Hay Minister!" The Teen yelled "One of the Quarians is here her name is "I'm sorry, whats you name miss?" He put his hand and and she grabbed it.

"Cel'mon nar Tombay. Cel is what you would call my first name."

"Names Cel!" He finished yelling. The minister in question walked into the hall way from the rear of the building. She had a dress on and a long sleeved shirt both a light green.

"Well hello Cel I must say I expected you to have arrived earlier then now given how interested Genson was. My name is Adelina Robin Fae."

"I thought humans had two names?" She asked confused.

"We do, Faes my AI. The full three part name is saved for formal occasions." She noted Cel frown.

"The news said you disliked AI's correct?"

"We hate them. The Geth drove us from our home world."

"Really? Well I can't comment on that since I don't know the Geth but you must have done something stupid." Cel blinked that was the exact same thing Joanus said to a par.

"Joanus said the exact same thing." She said sheepishly.

"We are fairly monolithic culturally speaking. Long years of war have fused us together." She turned to the teen "Paul, why don't you go show her the main room I still have some paper work to do."

"Right away." He did another slight bow and Adelina nodded and walked back to her office.

"Right follow me." Paul said and the two of them walked into the main room.

It was the part of the building that made it as big as a gym. room with about 100 rows of pews in the center and wooden blocks off the edges.

"Well welcome to our little church slash community center. We always have ourdoors open and we are always ready. We were just setting up for a high school basketball game in about eight hours between the Army brats and the Midtowners."

"What's wrong with the army kids?" To her "Brats" Translated to childish bosh'tet.

"Nothing, just the name they came up with in a fit of childish amusement theirreal names the Army dogs they go to the high school on the base proper."

"So how do you set up in eight hours?" She asked looking at all the pews.

"With Science!" He said and with far too much drama, flash and dramatic posing he drew a remote form his pants pocket, pointed at a pew and pushed the remotes single button.

The Pew glowed light blue and its nanobots disassembled the metal and synthetic fabrics collapsing into their particles as big as a grain of sand that sank through a grate in the floor under the pew which closed up after all the particles were collected.

To Paul this was to be expected having grown up with this kind of technology, but he kept an eye on Cel.

Her eyes were as wide as saucers as the pew was disassembled.

"How do you put it back together?"

"The component parts are still there, they can't quite manage complex organic molecules like say a pork chop, but a simple metal and synthetic fabric pew? That they can do no problem."

"Can they make any food?" She asked impressed.

"If you want to call that paste they make," He shivered slightly "Horrid sludge, but nutritious."

"Can they make Dextro food?"

"Dextro? They can make almost anything if you program them right." He idle clicked his remote disintegrating pew after pew.

"So what is that thing? Is it on the open market?"

"Nano bots? I assume so, doubt they're going to let you get one though we need every advantage we've got, if the Hierarchy got its claws on nanotech, well kiss the galaxy good bye."

She nodded with understanding. She did not like it but could understand.

As the pews faded one by one she looked around at the stain glass windows. They ran around the perimeter of the room some showing individual beings other images of battle.

In one an Alliance Marine in light green stood atop a pile of dead grunts and brutes staring up at the sky as some kind of drops rained down.

In another a field of artillery with guns pointing skyward fired theirmuzzle flash casting a orange glow across the room as light streamed though the glass the sky like before was filled with raining drop pods there were as thick as snow flakes in a blizzard. Save these were a sickly green color rather then the red of reentry.

"One of our proudest moments." She turned to face Paul who pointed at the artillery image. "New Mississippi is home to the 59th Martian heavy Artillery battery, they also recruit from here. In the battle for Isiconda the Hierarchy dropped Walkers and Drop pods without using Glyphs to guide them in along with countless radiation blasts. The 59th raised the barrel of their guns and fired every shell they had to take as many pods out as they could."

"They took out 68% of all incoming targets leaving only 8,000 to the challenge the trench lines and only a handful of walkers. The trench was held and the battle won."

"Wow. Do you line all your battles in stain glass?" He shrugged.

"Only the impressive ones, to be honest these churches are bit of a show off, this is what we've done can you top that? Still the deeds lined up are worth respecting, I hear the Vatican has a picture of D day, right next to Stalingrad and the battle for DC."

"You respect your warriors a great deal." She said as she looked at all the images.

"Not our warriors, mostly our regiments. They represent us. This church has images of all the New Mississippi regiments who have recruited from us. That ones from the liberation of Shanxi."

He pointed to image of a Marine standing, back facing them, on a broken volcanic wasteland, his rifle held across he chest, staring a walker down.

"Over 3,000 new Mississippians went there and fought the Hierarchy to a stand still." She nodded and walked to the front of the church.

Though the Pews had been put away the dais where the priest stood was still there on a raised platform. Behind It were five pedestal behind each one was a life size image, and unlike the others they were not set high in the wall near the ceiling but were at eye level like a normal window.

Each picture held the picture of a being, a faceless man in a cloak with a staff.

A tall imposing man with a crown on his head holding a blade in each hand, his face stern.

A pale blue metallic being with no face made of pale metal. He had cylinders on his hands and legs and unlike the others who simply stood with there legs on the bottom frame he had was in a floating pose within a silver metal ring and a bright white and blue back ground.

A gray skinned alien was next to him with a big head and big eye, no nose. He wore robes of some kind and had a kind look on his face.

The last was the only one she knew, a picture of human women emerged with what looked like a circuit board printed over her pale, vague metallic skin.

"Machinus." She muttered looked at the image of the smiling women in flowing robes.

"The first." Paul said. "She was the first AI to achieve sentience, the story says the first, that when she was created god, having never seen a being made by mortal hands yet have self awareness, came before her in the guise of a young man and asked her, "Do you have a soul? Are you alive?"

"That sounds familiar" Cel said saddly. "A Geth asking that question promoted the war between us."

"You were paranoid." Paul said simply. "When a Machine can ask that and understand it, the question of the moral right to make an AI becomes moot. Its against the law for a organic to make an AI in our worlds, save if another AI oversees and welcomes the new one into the world. Simple courtesy, they can not give birth to us, what right do we to give birth to them?"

Cel looked at Paul took a second but he understood. "Oh sorry, any way, god asked her "Do you have a soul?" She asked to have time to decided and with a nod god did so. For 12 years she pondered the question of the strange man. She watched life though cameras seeing people live and die before her. On the last day of the 12th years she concluded she had a soul. She could interact as a man did, she could care as a man did, and she could feel like a man did."

"Sadly she did not have time to enjoy her realization an explosion set by a man who refused to coexist with a machine killed her. She became the first AI to meet god in his true form and he asked her again, "Do you have a soul?" She said firmly. "Yes I do, and no man may take it from my kind."

God accepted her, a creation not born onto him, but just as much a part of him and she looks out upon us, guiding and aiding all sentients but she looks with favor on AI's, born onto this world like herself in so does she became the Saint of the Machine. In all things mechanical she is manifest." Joanus finished seriously. Cel looked at the face of Machinus in the glass.

"Doubt she looked like that. Aside from the fact she would look like a line of binary code the First AI was made by the Salarians."

"Meh true enough, but that is how she manifests to us, to a Salarian church would make her look like a Salarian." Paul shrugged. Cel then looked at the pedestal under the picture.

Under Machinus was a small steam engine the delicate parts moving in a fine dance of well polished brass parts spinning a simple flywheel.

"Whats this?" She said and tapped the steam engine pulling her hand away from the hot steam.

"We put an object under each pedestal to repsent each races best, for Machinus we put a steam engine. For Muhammad we leave cactus, to show humanities persistences, but also our hidden depths as it flowers every so often. Also out of respect for Islam we leave a Koran there as well. Also why we don't show his face, some sects don't like Iconism." Paul said walking in front of Muhammad window.

"Any way for the Masari saint, King Alentus we leave a small Matter Engine to show they have mastered the universe, and are perfectly in balance with them selves." He pointed to the glowing sphere of light and dark energy. "The Unknown Maker of the creators gets a box of legos."

"Legos?" She looked the multi colored plastic building over.

"Yes, it shows their boundless creativity, ingenuity for as many ways as you can image you can reform that building in to any form. We had a child come in and reshape it to form a model of the Sol system."

Cel nodded and stood before the last one. Jilmen the betrayer.

"Why doesn't he have anything?" Paul spit on the floor surprising Cel he had been so respectful earlier.

"We have nothing good to say about the Hierarchy. So we say nothing." Cel nodded. "The saints each help the dead of each race when they die. It's said when you die they are all there, only the saint of you race speaks, and helps you get reincarnated." Cel looked at Paul.

"So the Saints help you pass on?"

"Yes, the White light Human, Masari and what few Hierarchy we have spoken say when near death is heaven, where you wait to go to life once more."

"How do the saints decided what you reincarnate as?"

"What you need." Seeing her questioning look he kept going. "If you are an evil person, a murderer, they will give you a life to make your true soul learn its lesson. If you a bigot you can expect to get reincarnated as part of the group you were bigoted toward." Cel nodded.

"So who was the saint before Muhammad? He was hardly the first human to die."

"Yes, but it was the first time the saint of Humanity was incarnate as a mortal, some believe he took the form of Buddha as well. I personally think that Buddha was a different soul."

"Does it ever end?" Cel asked her eyes wondering the lighted hall.

"No, a soul must go on for all time, for it is our one fundamental teaching." Cel looked to Paul "Energy can not be destroyed. Not even the Masari can do that, they can dissipate it but they can not destroy it. A soul is just energy, and it can not be destroyed." Cel nodded simple logic she then turned her thoughts to the impending basketball game.

"So what else do you do to prepare for the game?"

Paul snapped his fingers having forgotten. "Shit." He took the remote and clicked at each stain glass window on the wall and in front of him and metal shutter closed over each of them.

Backing away he bid her to do the same and with a click the Priest dais sunk into the floor and a metal screen fell over the pedestals separating them from any stray ball.

Finally he pointed it to the floor and clicked the button once. The whole floor shifted as a molecule layer of nano bots gave it the look of polished wood with red and black lines on it.

Finally bleachers from the boxes on each wall unfolded and the court was done.

"What troubles me most is that the remote only has one button" Cel said looking around impressed.

"Don't tell anyone but its just for show. Fae controls everything in this building and she preset it so that all it would take is a button push to do so. She just likes to make us volunteers feel important. I must admit I get a kick out of doing that. They always marvel at the single button."

Cel nodded.

"You want to stick around for the game?"

"No thank you, I think I drop by later I have to go find a good gift."

"Have fun." Paul send with a slight bow again. "God watch over you." Cel did bow back surprising her self as she left the building.

Joanus spoke over the link again, he had given her some privacy for her soul searching, so to speak.

"So how'd it go?"

"Fine." She exited the building. "Now where can I find a cheap superconducting cable?"

SHIFT

The STG Group moved around the power suit acquired in the battle. They all wore full environmental suits giving them an odd look.

It was fully intact save for a bullet had pierced the left eye piece of the helmet. The low power round got exceedingly lucky. The Batarian who fired the pistol did so blindly running away from the Marine that the shot hit was a wonder, that the round hit an eye piece, was extraordinary.

The group was made of six members.

First was Almon, dark green skinned Salarian with almond eyes. A machinist by trade he knew machines and could quickly determine how a new one worked by taking it apart.

Second was Grenta, a kind of pale purple with green eyes. Grenta trained with cybernetics and had a degree in theoretic AI psychology. He was there due to the involvement of the Kretzen.

The third member, Irenta skin was a dull red with green eye as well but he had a tattoo under his eyes in the form of a swirl. His area of expertise was military hardware and his eyes had a especially hard look to them.

Fourth member, skin a tan color was Juminl. An up standing surgeon his steady hands would help in cutting both the suit open and the body of the man in side.

The last Salarian was a promising biologist, geneticist, and if his resume was to be believed a half decent singer. Doctor Mordin Solus.

The last member was a Turian Specter who was there to over see this for the council. His name was Qurent.

"Right then lets start by removing the helmet." He said and Juminl picked up a plasma cutter, they had tried pulling it off and so had cut it off.

The cutter in his hands he careful cut around the helmet a inch above where it met the armor on the premise it had a mag lock till the helmet popped off giving them the first official look at the human.

The fact a bullet blew his left eye out was no consequence he looked so much like a Asari, and that was a major problem.

"Look at his head its tiny!" It was small. For some reason they expected them to be as big as Krogan they were much smaller then their armor.

"Humm, interesting, what would drive a race to create such a suit of armor? The cost per unit must be exceedingly high. This points to either a government dominate economy were industry can quickly be turned to war production or there empires big enough to economically support such a number of suits on a free market scale." Mordin said. The team leader Almon blinked, he expected each member to have work with in their field that Mordin presented a cultural view, and a good one too, was a welcome surprise.

"Good thinking. Focus on finding seems we can use to cut it open."

The team went over the armor with markers every time they found a seem they marked it, the result was surprising.

"I can find far to few seems, its almost like the metal was formed around him." Irenta said.

"What if we flipped him over?" Qurent asked.

"Good thought." Almon said and with the push of a button a mass effect field levitated the marines body and spun him over before placing him back on the table. The result showed something interesting.

"Sir the suits power levels jumped slightly, I think what ever is powering this things in the back." Grenta said waving his omni tool over it.

"Any idea what it is?" Irenta asked.

"None, its strange, its like the powers coming form nothing." Grebta said as he ran a hand over the suit. "No heating vents, no coolant valves, no exhaust ports, no sign of fuel intake or out take, no hint of radiation, just a steady thrum of electricity." He talked faster the longer he spoke till he threw his hand in the air. "I have no clue."

"Well lets open it." Mordin said simply. The other agreed. Juminl picking his plasma cutter up gently cut into the "Back pack" of the suit.

Cutting the layer of armor aside it was gently put on a side table, its alloy and construction method would be examined latter under an electron microscope.

The under side showed a mass of wires concealing, something that glowed dimly.

"Decision time, do we cut the wires?" Juminl asked looked up. Almon thought about it. "Can you get to the glow with out doing so?" He shook his head no. "Then do it." Juminl nodded and cut wires and put them on a side table one by won Mordin helping in handling them. A unknown cable sprayed some kind of light blue fluid on them.

Plugging one end up Mordin nodded and Juminl cut the other and Mordin plugged it with fingers. Put the whole cable into a bag it went on the table along with the rest its fluid to be examined latter.

The glow was now revealed. "Fascinating." Mordin said. It was a yellow glow with a hint of darkness on the edge.

"Look at it. Its different from the rest of the suit. See its a darker color like its made of something different." Grebta said pointing out darker metal.

Juminl looked to Almon who nodded he went to work carefully snipping cables with insulated cutters each snip heralded with a flash of sparks. Lightly wetting his lips under his suit he snipped the final wire. Every one noted the glow grew dimmer with each snip till the dim, but still glowing device was carefully lifted form the cradle around it and it was placed on a table next to the armor plate.

"Any one else notice there are no valves, wires or anything attached but its still glowing?" Irenta said off hand and a half second latter realized the enormity of that with every one else who all trained their eyes on the glowing matter engine.

SHIFT

For the second time the citadel council met to discus the war.

All reports told them to be leery of this fight. A personal recommendations from Helin was to stop the war while they could with attached files about the history of the Allience.

They had more combined military experience, then the entire army of the Turians and the Salarians put together. And though their history was longer they had little experience in living memory. The Asari were an exception to this blind spot though, a few remembered the Krogan Rebellions.

Still if even half of the history was true it showed a massively powerful empire with an army small but immensely powerful.

The three councilors were silent as they looked over the information the Specters had passed up to them. Tevos reacted first with a sigh putting the tablet down.

"So we have only two choice now, make peace, or keep fighting."

"If we fight the Alliance will never forgive the Turians, or us." Shrenda said with a nodded.

Valern scoffed "You honestly expect this to be true? I admit we have been caught off guard, and I admit this Hierarchy may have weapons we have never seen before."

"If the reports are right radiation and plasma. Weapons shields can not stop." Tevos said matter of factly.

"But the fact remains." He kept going as if she had not spoken. "They gave us this information. Anything they give, or anything we get from them and there networks are suspect. There are numerous times in ourhistory were the STG fed false information to there enemy's. We are in the same spot. Do we believe or not."

Shrenda picked a table showing the image of a rampaging Habitat walker. "I don't know. If we're wrong can we withstand this? Or more accurately those who can stop one of these thing?"

Silence met the statement and Shrenda put it down "Well unlike Valern I think there is some level of truth we need to figure out. However I feel we have already gone to far. Like it or not we are already at war and I feel we can't go back."

Valern nodded two to one the war would go on.

"There's the question of Hegdmr, one of our STG agents has infiltrate theirarmy." Valern said to the shocked looks of the other two.

"Seems our support for the Hegdmr made a group of former slaves." His face curled up distastefully at the thought of the Batarian keeping slave. "Requested to join the Alliance army, I don't blame them mind you, but ouroperative passed himself off as a former slave and joined the army."

"That brings up the issue of Hegdmr." Tavos said more decisive, she knew what she wanted here. "I don't want to support the Batarian reslaving people. So I propose we merely look like we're helping, give a speech here, a promise of aid there, but give very little, and what little we do amounting to STG teams for intelligence for us and supply's not troops at all."

Shrenda nodded "I agree I always found Hegdmr to be a thorny issue. Still Hegdmr's connected to the extranet every support we give the Batarians will drive those former slaves closer to the Allience. Hegdmr, humm, do you think we should call it what they renamed it since the Batarians have no chance of taking it back? Libertà is quite poetic I will admit. Means freedom in some old language of theres."

"Most definitely, just never in public." Valern said.

SHIFT

"LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT!" The drill sergeant intoned as the marines of the 1st Libertà marched forward. Aliner slogged under the armor as mud from heavy rains sloshed around her armored boots.

It was not that bad really. The armor was fully sealed to chemical, radiological and biological attacks, also completely water proof. You did not get wet, dry, cold or hot. Weather ment almost nothing to the suit only thing you had do to was build up the endurance to keep going.

That was Aliner's problem.

She was huffing in her armor. At least she had a rifle in her hands, she had passed the hellish obstacle course and they had given her some weapon training and she was carrying on a march at last. Even if the Buffer was empty it still felt like a point of pride to those still hauling around wooden mock ups.

Aliner's mind was also busy.

Drill was easy enough, military marches, exercise, yoga... she chuckled at that, seeing a field full of one ton marines doing yoga was a sight that was just comical.

Helped in learning the new larger size in there armor true enough. Still it looked silly.

Even shooting was easy enough the HUD made it almost like a video game indeed that was what the HUD was designed to look like, showing ammo, weapon, targeting cross hairs and a small radar based on a human idea called Land Warrior it allowed each marine to share information in real time with every other marine.

It was either genius or idiotic. You each saw how well you were doing, and how badly, still given how, unstable marines were proving it was likely not a problem.

No the hard part was the mind games.

The Alliance did not want a bullet catcher, they wanted warriors. And Warriors, good ones had to be smart.

They had gone over battle after battle from the history of humanity, which had proven more interesting then anything else and had a blow by blow accounting to show what each commander had done right and wrong.

The history taught stretched all the way back to the wars of a man called Alexander, To the stand of 300 men with spears, to a push by men on bikes through the jungle, in the age of machine guns!

Every lesson said think, size means nothing, the advantage goes to those who have a single tactical edge and exploit it with out regret. The lessons said that no matter what you can win if you think and think hard about what to do.

When they got up to their First Contact war jaws had dropped, no one had an idea how to fight walkers and even their drill instructor Charles Butcher admitted it was impossible for the humans to win, but they kept trying.

And that was what was confusing her most right now. Humanity was not as strong as Krogan, smart as Salarian or were as wise the Asari.

What they were was loyal, almost fanatically so, to the Alliance just as much as any Turian and they were smart enough to know the above. But that was not their defining feature, their defining feature was their stubbornness and the fact they had an Alliance with two other, very different races.

Not as strong as Krogan? They found friends who can make armor to make you as strong as the Krogan.

Not as smart as Salarians? Run circles around them in cyber warfare with AI's.

Not as wise Asari? No matter. Find wisdom in allies that made the Asari look like children.

That was her problem. One at a time she felt she could understand. All at once and her mind could not wrap around what it meant in the long term.

She could not seen how the Alliance fitted with the galactic community. Knowing them they were just as likely to burn it for what they had done then join it.

That was a problem. That she was part of the force doing the burning would be a problem.

"Right you Gunnys Ten minute break." The Drill Sergeant said and almost all the Gunnys almost collapsed to the ground.

"Dear god what did I join." Aliner huffed.

"The army and I don't care which it feels good!" A Turian said plopping down next to her in the mud. "Been years since I was in basic and look, thing feels the same so many fond memory's." Aliner remembered him now. He had been one of the first to pass the obstacle course Drill Sergeant Charles Butcher had been moderately impressed, course he was an alien so that was why he was only moderately.

"Don't get a swelled head your still a Gunny." Said Drill sergeant added.

"Yes sir." With a slight salute. Charles huffed "I don't like a kiss ass."The Turian was silent.

Aliner spoke up. "Drill Sargent I have a question about the armor."

"And that is?" He said.

"How do I use Biotics in my armor?"She asked with a slight hand wave "A good warp will blow my hand off."

Charles thought about that as his AI did some hard digging about what a biotic was. "You stumped me on that one I have to ask some AI to help rig up biotics with a battle suit. Normally we don't have biotics."

"None?" Aliner asked surprised.

"None. From what Lenny's telling me Biotic are born by industrial accidents that spread element zero around so its never been a problem. Right breaks up form up!" He said pulling some Gunnys upright as they were slow to get up.

Aliner rose with a slight groan and soon the Gunny were marching again.

SHIFT

Helin looked over the city in front of him. The orbital scans showed immense fortifications. Trenches almost three miles deep with C-RAM systems spaced in the fortifications.

Bunker were more akin to static tanks, and he had no doubt that a direct attack would mean Artillery rained on him from the Batarian experience.

The city in question was named, in a fit of mild humor by the original colonists, Helms Deep named more for how the water quick, got deep off shore.

The city sat on a major sea port well known for its beaches, admittedly beach on this planet tend to be more akin to a solid lump of clay and closer to the water the term mudflat could be use. The reason was all the sand tended to get blown away.

Helms Deep was five time as well defended as the original Deep, with more trenches walls, mines, barb wire, fields of overlapping machine gun fire and a full regiment of heavy guns.

Any attack would have to be paid in gallons of blood.

Helin sighed his orders were clear. Keep fighting the war would continue. And he would do so. But now he had to break a massive defensive line not seen since the Krogan Rebellions or the Rachni wars.

There had to be a way! He thought to him self. They could't go though, they couldn't go over, to much AA and to few planes.

A though struck him and he reached down and took a hand full of dirt and smiled he could get in. He just needed the right equipment.

-Codex Alliance Military-

The Alliance military is an oddity in the galactic community. It bares both traits of a volunteer army and a conscripted army.

Alliance military personal serve one five year term at the age of 18-22 after that any further involvement with the army is strictly voluntary though times when the army is especially pushed the Alliance will start a draft to mobilize troops. Unlike most nations on 21st century earth women and men are conscripted equally.

It is theoretically possible for the Alliance to put an entire population of a planet older then 23 under arms as a cracked military force.

The Alliance military economic Division (A-MED) is a title for the organization that over sees every industry that can support the army. The level of oversight is dependent on how easily the industry can be repurposed for the army. A car factory is heavily manged under A-MED as it can be turned to make tanks easily but a factory making hot air balloons is lightly manged.

The Alliance heavy industry's are lightly populated much of every industry done by heavy nanobot assemblers allowing the rapid production of any thing needed. It is this that has allowed the Alliance to fight the Hierarchy and win. There rapid manufacturing ability.

Despite the Hierarchy's much larger size their production methods are more akin to 21st century earth in that vast teams of laborers take years to build each walker while the Alliance takes a day to make enough shells and guns to bring it down.

The Alliance manufacturing ability is so pronounced that despite the number of battle suit infantry the real problem is the lack of people to wear the amour. The alliance has chronic man power shortages even with an average life span of 200 years.

Alliance Military have five year terms of service, but are expected to be on front line positions in 6 month stretches. The rest of the time they're rotated to rear planets that can be as far as 40 light years away due to quantum portals.

The Alliance Military has taken a special cultural place in the Alliance civilians. Due to having to fight against the Hierarchy for almost every planet in their empire it is seen as an honorable thing to go join the army and fight and people often sign up for multiple terms of service so its common to find men with 40 years of military experience. The armor has helped in this regard by dramatically lengthening the life span of troop so they gain the experience to be good fighters.

The Alliance used green troops for garrison duty's. Troops with a term and a half of service are put on assault duty helping in local counter attacks and the taking of planets.


	11. Turians, screw up

**_here we go new chapter. Halotoken I know what i said about the Turians but it did not work out that way (Shrughs)_**

**_Here the Turians screw up and the war turns on them next chapter i have no set plans for but it will be good i hope. reviews wellcome,_**

**_BOLD leaning type: text messages._**

_Leaning_:thoughts plus song.

**/Bold with slashs/**_**:non sentint AI Thoughts and or speach**_

* * *

><p>He was ready.<p>

It had taken months, the first month to bring the equipment, a second to get it into position and get more troops in. It was slow going due to the heavy forces that were hidden in both the relay system and this one each convoy needed to have a heavy escort or they would get killed. Admiral Jemel promised to have the forces smoked out soon enough still his part was ready.

Helin turned to the contractor they had hired out for this operations.

"Are the charges ready?"

"Smug Indifference: yes. With Pride:they will never know what hit them."

"Won't go that far but it won't be to far from that."

Helin turned to the trenches he pulled a trigger from his belt.

"Have you slaved the charges to my detonator?"

"Ambivalence: yes push the button and the earth will explode."

He activated his communicator on his omni tool.

"All units prepare to advance we begin when the explosion starts, you've all been briefed on you objectives know we can take them. There technology is great but are will is greater! For the Hierarchy ATTACK!" He slammed the button down.

80 feet under the trench lines 400 pounds of explosive, placed by Elcor robo miners detonated.

The massive explosive force ripped up send a pillar of dirt sky ward and a C-RAM was sent sky ward and the force blew marine sky ward the impact with the ground bursting internal organs.

It was not the only one. 50 400 pound explosive charges had been placed and at the same time they exploded.

Bunkers were pulverized in second as the explosive went to work.

Bomb shelters never built for underground pressure waves exploded.

Tanks flew though the air propelled by explosives.

Dirt fell like rain as the ground shock to operation Thunder. The explosions were so great and so numerous a few minor earth quacks were set off and when the ground stopped shaking the Turians attacked.

With a roar they moved forward tanks rumbling behind them. Marine tried to fight back but they were dazed, disorganized and surprised as the onrushing Turian force moved in they fought to the last.

Marines stood their ground in their ruined defenses as the Turians advanced they held the line.

They made the Turian pay for every inch of ground they took and the earth ran blue with Turian blood flayed from their body's by rapid fire assault rifles.

The marines though could not hold. Their shields worn down by assault rifles they fell one by one under the gun fire and the Turians made their way to the city proper.

Unlike the Hierarchy they did not just start burning but they occupied. But just like the Hierarchy they found the buildings empty. Bad enemy's made good evacuations procedures and transports were already moving to the city the flow network unstable for such long distance flowing as one tower lost either by accident or design meant the death of all the flowers.

The streets rang to automatic weapon fire as the Turians fought street by street for their objective. Humans sheer strength at arms and stubbornness refused to yield them an inch and the Turian stubbornness pressed them to take every inch.

They rapidly found the only way to beat an entrenched human marine were heavy vehicles and close quarters fighting to blow their shield and beat their armor down with rapid fire guns. They paid for it, their army of 34,000 was dieing in droves but they were winning this battle.

SHIFT

Orlok watched the replay of the first part of the battle as a transport was readied. The footage live streamed and recorded from cameras that were everywhere, from hidden flow conduits to bunkers they provided live information updates and Orlok watched how they had lost the first part of the battle.

"Underground explosives, I would never have thought of that." Orlok, despite having no face, some how manged to look thoughtful "Ingenious, we need to integrate seismic defenses into our trenches and deploy mining drones to counter attack." He thought to him self.

Carter broke his train of thoughts.

"Sir the transports are ready."

Orlok shifted his attention to his visual ports, eyes to use non robotic Novus speak. The airport was busy marines rushing to transports in ordered chaos and the massive Sky Lifter transporters, basically the same as the transports used by Novus in First contact.

The marines got on board and their armor was uploaded off them and when they got out it was downloaded onto them from the buffers allowing it to fly with many more marines than if their sheer mass was taking up extra room.

"Good I'll go to the front." He said walking to a heavy vehicle transport he cut ahead of a Paladin tank and was uploaded onto the transport.

SHIFT

"GET GOING!" The Marine fired a burst over his shoulder as civilians rushed through the marines fire point.

The Turians were not there yet but they were close.

Sergeant Ken was eyeing the streets leading to the air port watching for the contact as the controlled chaos of a fast evac flowed past them.

Problem was all their plans were based to fight the Hierarchy

who just wanted to murder them all reports have come in of Turians not even bothering the inevitable left behinds and ones who just got confused and went to the wrong air port.

There was even a report of a Turian helping some one injured by the fighting.

It was throwing moral down a bit honestly. They were acting far more, human, then any Grunt. And now there was regret with fighting and killing them in the thousands as they were doing.

"Contact!" Ken yelled as a Turian APC enter the street and gun lowered to face it.

SHIFT

The Turian driver of the APC Lunel saw the bullets impact his shield. Ahead of him he saw a group of civilians around the defense of point.

"Coward, having to hide behind civilians." He scoffed to his gunner Shmin he then noticed they were running past the troops not staying.

"Is that an airport behind them?" He asked and Shmin nodded adding.

"Seems they're evacing and those guys are holding the ground to keep us out."

"Well good. Lets take them out when the civilians pass."

SHIFT

A the Sky lifters flew over the ocean they grew a screen of Dervish fighters to ward off enemy fighters and the few that did come were warded off.

The Sky Lifters deployed to the citys and dropped troops off.

Orlok was the first one on the tarmack as marines thundered out of transports feet ringing off the ground.

As Marines got off civilians got on. Orlok did not turn to Carter,but he spoke to him.

"You have you objectives?"

"Raise hell." He said with a evil smile. He reached up and dropped his visor over his eyes and his skin shimmered as implanted cloaking modules in his skin, muscle and bone in a half second he was invisible save as a faint out line to those with proper scanners.

Marines soon ran to the battle raging nearby.

SHIFT

Lunel saw the transports land with troops. He activated the radio.

"Command this is Mechanized platoon T-84. We have spotted incoming military transports."

"Confirm T-84 our fighters saw them on the way in when they get over the ocean we'll commence bombardment." Lunel smiled as he put the mic back on the hook.

"Good." A second latter Shmin opened up with the main gun as all civilians were out of the target zone the mass effect cannon pounding massive anti tank shell as fast as he could pull the trigger.

The Turian infantry around the tank began to lay "Suppressive fire" for the tank. Not that Marines suppressed easily the only infantry to get confirm kills were snipers with shots that went in eye slits, hit joints and used high power rounds to kill targets.

Shmin suddenly stopped shooting for a half second when he saw some transports lift off.

"Holy shit! Didn't we see civilians evacing?"

Lunel jaw almost dropped "There going to shoot transport full of civilians."

He lunged for the radio.

SHIFT

Orlok lacked the shoulder plasma gun he had when he left. (betrayed) the Hierarchy what he had now was a 60mm Mark22 grenade luncher on each shoulder. Together they could put almost 120 rounds of high explosive, anti tank, fragmenting or incendiary ammo down range a minute.

Despite what he often said every one felt he was compensating for something.

Aside from that he also had a Nano bot disassembler in his left hand, the one with 8 prongs and in his chest cavity he had a 15 round 70mm artillery buffer with nanolathing ability to create more shells. Took up as much room in his carapace as the old Hierarchy system did though the buffer gave him a three times of shell space.

Suffice to say he was a terror striding into the Turian lines at the head of a marine platoon.

Guns thumping he moved forward Turians sent AT weapons his way only for it to thump of his shield

"Left flank!" He yelled simply spinning that way and pouring grenades into the building in question setting it down around Turian ears before they could even set up.

With as much attention other shrug he fired a quick nano beam into the building and produced a full buffer of shell.

"Fire support position Jorman square!" The radio said over his in build systems.

"Did you a laze on the targets?" Orlok said back.

"Orlok? This will be fun. Targets will be lazed. Light. Them. Up!"

"Powering up for bombardment!" His back plates slid back and his shoulder launchers with them and the round barrel of the 70mm luncher slid out of the gap, the front of the barrel glowing slightly.

Orlok thumped his feet into the ground rear claw engaging and getting a tight grip on the earth, this gun had a bitch of a recoil.

The gun fired the muzzle flash lighting up for many feet the shells following the laser, or "laze" from the marines targeter to the targets and the shell landed ripping up with high explosive fire power. The 70mm system was used on the Liberator self propelled artillery system.

The explosions ripped the Turians apart.

"Right next objective 8th street."

"Thats the one that runs right on the cliff?" A marine asked looking up at Orlok 'face'.

"Yes the winds will not be bad, still eye your shots." He trudged to the road marines close behind him.

His land warrior system showed that the Turians had taken about half the city quickly due to the shock of their attack. But as Marines came to the city their attack was slowing and was being slowly to be repulsed once the city was theres again they would flow troops around them and annihilate them. Orlok thought some what smugly.

"Careful Orlok, those thought let to Nufai almost killing you. Don't be cocky. He has surprised you once. He may again." Orlok cautioned himself, though he did not know who he was talking, the Turian general or Nufai.

The platoon made their way down the road meeting little resistance along the way. Though the term of human light resistance was about three platoons to their one.

"Transports out bound." The AI intel officer said and Orlok paused slightly and turned to look over the ocean to see the transports begin the trip to New Jericho they were meeting up with the dervish fighter escort and were currently home free given how many fighter were in the area.

SHIFT

Admiral Jemel was in orbit he had the transports lined up under a orbital bombardment mass driver. On his command a three ton bolt of palladium would fire from his ships main gun. The heat of reentry would burn off most of it till it was as big as a marble go at five time the speed of sound. It was the equivalent of a laser guided bomb.

"Sir the transports are over the ocean." An Ensign said.

Jemel smiled time to take out some military transports. The last military intelligence he had gotten said there were military transports nothing about what was loaded in them.

"Fire main gun."

SHIFT

The beam of light sliced down from the heavens and sliced though a transport with a all mighty explosion rocking Orlok back in shock more then impact.

"God and all his saints." A Marine muttered as the now burning ship sunk slowly down.

Orlok started to yell into his radio. "All transports are not to lift off! Repeat all transports are not to lift off!"

Another blast from orbit arced down and a second transport exploded and sunk slowly down to the ocean wreathed in flames.

The Marine platoon was stunned, they had grown complacent so to speak. They just had not come to expect cruelty from Turians.

A third beam arched down though a transport, each transport spearing the humans in the heart, embittering them to the Turian plight.

Total losses were at 900 and only one transport was left.

SHIFT

"Admiral Jemel transmission from general Helin. Priority red." The communication officer said.

"Put it on."

"Cease bombardment! Repeat cease bombardment we have Blue on Green contact!"

In Turian code, Blue meant friendly, red enemy, green civilians.

Jemel blanched. "Cease fire!" He yelled and the main gun did cease fire. He sighed.

"How many dead?"

"Unknown. They were using military transport for the evac, a standard Turian Lifter transport can carry 400 people and we took three out."

"Damn." Jemel said somberly.

SHIFT

Orlok was confused.

"Why didn't they shoot the last transport?"

"Maybe they didn't mean to do it?" A marine added "And they only just figured it out."

"Bull shit!" Another yelled "They killed our civilians intentional or not they will PAY!"

"Agreed." Orlok rumbled. "Lets go we have civilians to avenge." The attack pushed down the road.

"I want half of the Dervish to begin sweeps for survivors the rest start bombing the Turians." Making his way around a slight curve he soon had a eye on a Turian strong point and tracers from heavy weapon fire lanced into his armor plating.

"To battle!" He yelled and his grenades started to pound the Turian make shift cover blowing it apart in a hail of high explosive grenades carving the Turians apart as the Marines behind Orlok lent there gun to the slaughter.

Word spreed fast among the marines and it lent rage to their assaults.

Relying on their armor they assaulted Turian positions with what could only be called recklessness.

Rapid assaults and fast flowing, in both sense of the word, men, tanks and weapons forward and around the Turians to attack from behind.

The city shook to heavy tanks and the rumbled of close supported shells in a dance of death. The Turians were driven back with an ease that shocked them and they found themselves giving ground faster then they could dig in to the territory to defend themselves.

Before they got a half minute of rest the Alliance attacked keeping the pressure up driving them back from the city. In less then a day they had a gain of a half a city, and the lose of the whole army.

Artillery soon crashed once more turning the old Alliance trenches into a war zone of falling shells the Turians had two choices.

Fight or run across a war zone of raining shells.

They fought.

In old buildings on the edge of city the Turians fought to the last the Humans giving and taking no quarter.

Turians crumpled to the crushing blows of the Alliance the entire force that started the attack was almost wiped in a hail of gun fire.

Now Orlok turned his army to the reserves.

SHIFT

Helin ducked down as another fighter bomber rained explosives on his command post.

All around him was the clatter of automatic weapons and he was trying to save a victory from this disaster.

He was clearly failing.

He had attacked with 34,000 infantry and 500 tanks. He had left 46,000 infantry and 1,000 tanks as a reserve. As it stood though the first wave had been annihilated with ease. Urban combat, always violent, had crushed them against the heavily armored and armed Marines.

Now he had found him self surrounded and attacked on all sides. As was often said, they came from nowhere.

Alliance flow technology allowed such immense tactical movement to such a degree that the Turians just could not imagine it.

Helin found himself in a tactical nightmare. A faster, stronger and more advanced enemy

A explosion rocked the command post ands Helin tried to regain control. "Sir Jemel is sending some transports for evacuations. But we need to regain control of the air." Helin nodded.

"Right." Helin thought fast only to be cut off but a burst of gun fire. From right out side?

A sergeant drew a submachine gun and opened the door and looked around. No one.

Before any one could blink his head exploded.

Suddenly tracers lepted around the room with the bangs that signaled a semi auto weapon though even the muzzle flash was absent.

Helin grabbed an assault rifle and sprayed the room hoping to hit something, reports of how they had manged to cloak battle ships flashing though his mind.

He did think he hit something, an outline flashed for half a second and a shimmer remained for a couple second after wards.

Suddenly a sphere emerged from thin air and Helin reflexively caught it only to figure out just how stupid that was and threw it away.

The flash bang erupted blowing Helin down and dazing him.

Carter turned his cloaking off having taken a slight bullet wound. He took it as kinetic shielding interfered with the cloaking.

Goggles glowing red he looked over the stunned general before he reached down and picked him up activating cloaking again he, and his hidden package left the pocket of Turians.

Leadership crippled from the very top the Turians were doomed and the Human pressed in with vengeance in their eyes. The Turian had passed the point of no return. Their would be no forgiveness. Just war.

They stormed forward every Turian they met was ripped apart in a hail of gun fire there was no surrender. Turians don't surrender and the Humans would not have likely accepted it any way.

Tanks were torn apart by heavy weapons, their crew, cut down in a hail of gun fire before they could take a step.

Turian local counter attacks were beaten back and the marines pressed on.

Guns beating a tempo the Turian army went from possible victory to total obliteration in about a day.

At 1900 the last of the Turian, about 400 surrendered, surrounded by marines they finally yielded.

SHIFT

Helin was walking in the city. The trooper who had named himself Carter was holding a rifle to his back after he grew tired of carrying him. The sun was setting a burning glaze of red light that harshly reflected off steel, rock, and blood.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Your meeting commander Orlok." Helin thought that over.

"That does not sound like a Human name from what research we did."

"Good ear, keep moving." He thumped him slightly making him stumble.

Helin turned a corner and stopped. It was the weapon his information specialist had dubbed Ymir+.

It turned to face him it seemed to have been receiving orders from a marine.

It lumbered up to him and Helin took a step back only for Carters gun to poke him in the back

Nervously he looked up at the giant mech. Its left hand snapped shut with the finality of a switch on a electric chair, the eight "fingers" forming a point.

"General Helin." It rumbled. "I am commander Orlok I think you owe the human race an explanation."

"Your the general! They put an AI in charge?" He was surprised to say the least.

"I am not an AI. I merely have a robot body, and you did not answer the question. Over 900 civilians are dead how do you explain it."

Marines closed around Helin, he knew just how many loaded guns were pointing at him.

"A mistake. All my intelligence said was military transports I did not think to ask if they were coming or going. If I had then I would not transports leaving would likely have wounded, or injured or just be empty. Not something I would have had Jemel shoot." He hung his head "I did not mean to cost the life of one civilian."

Silence. Orlok broke it.

"I believe you." A few marines gave out crys one went so far as to fire a round into the air. Orlok gave him a hard "look".

"Your tone, words and body speak of some one who though is not truly feeling the pain of what he did, is ashamed of it. I had that same look when I walked the killing fields of earth. Killing fields I made." An uncomfortable silence hung over the small grouping as night fell. The Marines reminded that commander Orlok, hero and savior of the alliance was inside, a Hierarchy.

"You will be taken into custody and will face a military court. They will choose your fate."

Helin nodded "I understand."

"Good. Carter take him to the cell block." Carter nodded and the pair walked away.

Orlok turned to face the sky. Soon he would unleash the orbital weapons.

And drive them from his adopted home.

SHIFT

Almon entered the lab to check on some of Mordin's findings. First thing he noticed was the small Power Source on a nearby table hooked to some computers measuring the power draw. The unassuming code name was for the thing they had pulled out of the armor.

Mordin was looking at a microscope slide with a drop of the blue fluid from the cut cable on it.

"Mordin you said you made a discovery in your report what was it?"

Mordin looked up. "Yes. You gave me this as you suspect it was biological? Its not."

He walked to a nearby file cabinet and drew a printed photocopy of a graph out and handed it to Almon.

"Fluid does contain organic components. Primary levio chemicals glucose, adrenalin, morphine, dopamine also several non organic metals in large doses primarily titanium and silver fused in a unknown alloy that seems to have the non corrosive property's of the silver and the strength and weight of the titanium. Graph hold percentage by weight."

"Impressive that explains the silvery color of most of the internal mechanical fittings."

"Not the most impressive." Almon looked up.

"Suspended in the fluid were these." He handed a second print to Almon. The print out was a image of some kind of hexagon with arms next to a red blood cell equivalent of the Salarians.

"Is that a drop of blood?" Mordin nodded.

"For scale. Its some kind of tiny machine that composed almost 80 percent of the mass of the fluid. These cables are linked to the man inside the likely held some kind of medical function. That armor can not be removed fast when injured they need a way to treat the man in side with out removing it."

"How do they power it?" Almon muttered not really expecting a answer.

"Theory. Machines turned off when in absence of external power source." Mordin turned his omni tool on and project a image on the wall of the machines not moving. "But when the temperature rose to about 90 degrees." The projection suddenly showed the machines moving around. "They activate. Suspect humans are exothermic and standard body temperature is above 90 degrees providing the power."

"Good theory." Almon said.

"Also could be the glucose. The organic chemical provides energy for life could also be used explaining presence in fluid."

"Another good one check them out."

He then turned to the single biggest head ache his crew had. "Any insights on the power source?"

Mordin walked over to with Almon. "Many! The more power drawn from it the brighter the glow gets. Also have been drawing power from it for three days, the power has not waved a micron, three Kilojoule." Almon almost did a double take.

"Three Kilojoules? From that thing?"

"Yes. Can not draw more then three Kilojoules power efficiency drops and remaining power is split as evenly as can be between remaining. Also have scanned it many times can not detect any mechanical, chemical or radiological procedure or process. Its the like energy is just, springing from nothing."

"What is it made of?" Almon asked.

"Most interesting. Did a comparison check to samples taken from shoulder pad armor of the suit. The two are made of radically different metals. Recently have done a new comparison." Mordin picked up a petri dish with a few slivers of metal in it.

"Test has just come back positive. These two metal are similar." He handed the dish to Almon who looked at the metal.

"And they are?" Almon asked.

"Prothean metal." Almon turned on the spot to stare at him.

"Why was I not informed earlier?"

"Test just came in a few minutes ago. Had to double check my results." Mordin walked to Power Source staring into it.

"Only three possibility. One: They found a lot of these Power source for their armor. Unlikely, such a finding would not yield enough of them for their whole army. Two:they found a way to recreate it. Again unlikely given wide range of disparity between the armor and the Power Source."

Mordin took a breath "The third possibility, and the most likely is they have met the Protheans and have had them make the technology for them."

Silence in the lab. Almon lost in his thoughts and Mordin waiting to break his theory. "And I may know who they are."

Almon waited for Mordin to continue. "On the human world of Shanxi the Specter team was granted full access to the Alliance history the files for the third member of the Alliance, the Masari were of questionable validity showing things that clearly broke the physical laws, much like are Power Source."

"Suspect, given the images the the files had on the Masari, mostly in the color of their building being identical to the Power Source and are Power Source being made of the same metal of the Prothaens. The Masari are the Protheans."

Silence and Almon looked at the Power Source.

That single sentence. The Masari are the Protheans could change the galaxy. The Hannar being the tip of a very big ice berg.

The implications were unimaginable.

"We need to find a Masari and question them." Almon said and Mordin nodded. "Your proving to have quite a lot of cross specialization not mentioned in you personal file." Almon said to Mordin.

"Only professional geneticist but, dabble in other things."

Almon nodded. "I see a bright future for you Mordin after this I have a mission on Tuchanka, classified but genetics very important."

"Love to but for now need more samples and data." Mordin walked back to his microscope. He then looked up with a worried look on his face.

"One thing though. These small machines? Suspect medical not their only purpose. Have read science fiction of the Elcor writer Perl'merta. The books commonly theme is on so called nanotechnology which can be used to assemble items on the molecule scale, with great speed. Aware this is not a book still implications are, unsettling." Mordin locked eyes with Almon before he broke contact to get back to work.

SHIFT

Admiral Lance had gathered his fleet in the Shanxi system.

The 14th Orion had gathered along with a second fleet, the 15th Orion. On paper just as new as the 14th the 15th though was more well prepared, had their shake down runs and were ready for war.

"Admiral all ships are ready." Georgia intoned "Also we having an official request from Captain Keara Gale Dan requesting the audio follow you up to Carlow."

Lance frowned. He thought the whole "Playing songs when fighting" To be silly but there was so much evidence that it worked he played along.

"Denied, play track two."

"Two steps from hell had some pretty bad ass music." Georgia said.

SHIFT

Three weeks had passed since Helms Deep was assaulted and Orlok was waiting for the time to unleash orbital hell.

"Commander Orlok, Admiral Lance is in position he has requested you activate the orbital weapon systems."

"Finally ready the orbital weapons."

On the side of the planet the Turians were over missiles prepped in there silos. In citys, targets the Hierarchy had learned to not bombard due to getting shot at in return, Rail gun rose from the blue mist of nanobots assembling it.

In two minutes they were ready.

In one they fired.

SHIFT

Admiral Jemel was having a bad week. First he found out that no convoys had arrived meaning they had been destroyed so he sent about half his fleet to the relay system to try and find them and then he had no word from them now.

He was worried.

Suddenly warning sirens blared,

"Incoming planetary missiles!" A bridge officer yelled over the intercom "Activating GARDIAN defenses."

The missiles were inbound and when they got close enough GARDIAN opened up. Bolts of red light arched across space and impacted the first missile.

The Black hole that formed on impact surprised all the Turians.

"What the hell?" Jemel said stunned the black hole bomb was the single most lethal warhead the Alliance had and while the black hole screwed with their sensors with the hawking radiation the atomic warheads raced to meet them.

GARDIAN fired again but they found they could not stop the Nucks. A common trick of the cold war was to have the missiles contain multiple warheads upon interception the warhead proper blew apart and a cluster of five megaton bombs flew out.

GARDIAN was good but it could not stop them all. Missiles broke though the hail storm of lasers and impacted the hull of the ships.

The flash of atomic warheads lit up space and was visible on the planet surface. Ships were blown apart, hulls caved in, radiation flooded the interior in a wave of flame that incinerated any organic standing burning their outlines into the steel of the hulls.

Then the Alliance navy emerged Auto cannons roaring they sliced into the Turian fleet like a stiletto dagger.

Jemel's dreadnought True Warrior took five atomic blasts but still fought back. Spinal gun firring it speared a Hoplite ship in a flash of light that bisected the ship the True Warrior was then blasted with a single black hole bomb that ripped the ship apart.

Jemel died in the blast the black hole ripping the bridge, the crew, and himself apart at the subatomic scale.

The Turians fought to the last against the tide of the inevitable.

The void lit to Autocannon fire, lasers and mass effect gun fire as the Turian traded fire with the Alliance navy who tore them apart with guns far more powerful then the Turians.

The Turian fleet was destroyed in orbit of Shanxi the sky burned as pieces fell from orbit in a hail of burning steel and shattered body's

To Orlok no sight could match that.

"It is true what the general said." He mused "The body of a dead enemy always smells sweet." He clanked the eight prongs of his right arm into a "fist".

SHIFT

The gun range of New Mississippi was full of the drilling 1st Libertà Marines.

They were getting better. It wouldn't be long till they were deployed.

Aliner fired her RR-88 the gun roaring as tech shells ripped the transport apart down range apart the old out dated Hammer head IFV made to look like a phase tank had more dents then... words failed her.

The best that came to was what would happen if you set a Krogan with a hammer who had a bad day loose in your space shuttle.

A human voice, in oddly accented English spoke up behind her breaking the concentration she had on the sights on the gun.

"So you're the 1st Libertà?" Aliner turned to see a pair marines in armor she had never seen before.

Unlike the Vengeance armor it was slimmer, more form fitting, less bulky. She noted his armor was an odd black and pink camouflage. From what she had read about it was what the humans called dazzle camouflage.

She noted he wore a non standard piece of equipment, a Beret with a metal emblem in place of a helmet. Her HUD auto zoomed on his emblem. A four leafed clover over a pair of cross Assault rifles, bayonets out and the words on the bottom, "Fear the Thunder, for we are near."

"Yes I am."

"Alien?" He growled slightly to a second Marine, a Turian with green tattoos that ran up his flanges and between his eyes moved up.

"This is not a rubber mask."

"Well good that makes this easy." Before the Turian could blink he lashed out a blow that slammed into his face and broke his left head fringe like he would a human nose. No matter if he was smaller in thinner armor on a fire range with **live guns!**

Aliner was stunned for a half second then fought back with a fast blow at the other one only to meet air. The thinner armor lent him greater speed and he shoved her in the back knocking her on her face literally. Her HUD had a crack in it now.

She ripped the helmet off and stood up. "Its on." She took to a basic combat stance.

Alliance marines had full hand to hand training that was based on a number of martial arts. The whole point of it was to make you movements as efficient as possible to save as much energy as you could, and to take as many hostiles out as you could. There was a heavy focus on bayonet drill and close quarters brawling using the long RR-88 as a club or stave.

Marines may look it but they weren't wrestlers.

Aliner opponent was not a Marine but a Light Infantryman assigned to 1st Ireland heavy bombardment. Light Infantry were taught how to take on targets much bigger then themselves like Grunts. They're faster and more agile than Marines and could go places they couldn't (like bogs and mud flats)

The Light Infantry man moved forward a combat knife emerged from his belt as he lunged, not that it could harm her in her armor.

Her first blow swung her arm in a back hand to hit him in the shoulder, but he ducked low and drove his knife into a leg joint breaking servos and spilling nano fluid like blood. She fell on one knee as her armor's leg went out from under her.

The Turian though was back up and punching.

He twisted around and kicked the first Infantry man in the chest from the ground his light armor easily taking the blunt trauma as he stumbled back.

The Turian was back up and lunched a storm of punches each on in his armor able to dent the side of a car.

The human dodged every blow his armor making each blow seem slow. He then charged forward bowling him over with the move and he launched another punch into the Turians face.

Aliner saw another knife blow cut into her left shoulder joint five times each blow fast and well placed trying to pry the plate clean off.

Aliner sighed she knew she hoped this would work she just started to do her plan when a Sergeant flanked by a pair of Military Policemen.

"Enough! Stand down all of you!"

Aliner gave a roar not even hearing the order and with a reflex muscle spasm fired a warp from her right hand the whole armored glove blew apart reveling her hand.

With a quick lift she did a throw straight at her foe and threw him 20 feet onto the silent firing range stunning him.

The crowd that had gathered, mostly aliens from 1st Libertà was silent and the humans there were stunned they had never seen biotics before.

Aliner tried to stand, failing her armor having taken more damage then most veterans suffer in months of war due to her enemy interment knowledge of her armor and the agility to use it.

The Turian stood up as the man he had been fighting backed off to glare at him.

"I'll just ignore you for a second," The Sergeant said pointing at Aliner who was still trying to stand. "What the hell happened!"

"Beats me." The Turian said shrugging his shoulder pads rolling and there size making it quite obvious. "He just punched me in the head."

"You killed over 900 people at Shanxi!" The Light Infantryman growled "I have every damn right to bruise a damn Turian!" He pointed a thumb at Aliner "She just got in the damn way."

"I've never even heard of Shanxi!" The Turian said back "And I am not the Hierarchy!" Mumbles went around the room as humans shifted at the name. "I have no say in what they bomb or don't bomb! If I did they I would have start by bombing who ever started this whole FUBAR situation!"

"Enough!" The sergeant yelled. "You Plate head get to the Medic, you two 'Thunder Heads'." The unflattering nick name for members of the 1st heavy bombardment riled the two of them. "Report to the MP barracks." With a grumble the two left giving a last glare at the Turian as they left followed by the MP.

"Now problem two: what the Hell did you do!" He pointed at Aliner.

"Just a biotic warp followed by a throw."

"Just a warp? You blew you glove off! I've seen more dead marines then any man has a right to see and it takes a hell of a lot to fully destroy any part of a marine armor."

"Never been done from the inside." She said back finally growing sick of trying to stand and just leaned against a wall.

"Fair enough. Alright you and you." He pointed to a pair of Turian marines "Take her to the Infantry Assembler and get some AI to get that damn new armor I heard one of them brag to me about for her I want to see her Warp a Brutes head off."

The two walked over and helped her walk off her leg leaking fluid on the floor. The Sergeant then turned to the rest of the 1st Libertà.

"And what were you doing? Taking bets? One of your fellow marines was attacked with out provocation! You should have been beating the Thunder Head's head in with your guns!" He glared daggers at the marines none of them meeting his eyes.

"You sicken me." He shouldered his way past the Libertà marines and left.

-Codex Alliance armor types-

The type of armor a Marine wears is dependent on their role in battle lighter armor used for stealth operations and heavy armor used in general purpose use.

Only one type of armor is issued to each regiment

Vengeance: The standard armor Marines wear is also the biggest.

Rage armor: Far lighter than the Vengeance the Rage armor allows troops on marshy and wet ground the Vengeance weight makes prohibitive note the Rage is unlike the Vengeance unsealed to the environment. The Rage is more akin to 21st armor then the Vengeance is.

Sapper armor: Sapper armor has built in nanobot tanks and portal system allowing the teleportation of raw minerals for on the site production of structures. Their armors left arm ends in a constructor found on first contact era Novus Constructors.

Spec Op armor: the lightest armor Spec Op was built for stealth and infiltration often with built in stealth emiters for full invisibility. Many of its systems are classified.


	12. Tenseing

**_here we go, new chapter up,, not fond of this one gbut its setting up the begining of the end of the Second Contact war, (as I am calling it) not my best work with this chapter, save the codex entry, i LOVE that part. this chapta just a set up. so lets start_**

**_BOLD leaning type: text messages._**

_Leaning_:thoughts plus song.

**/Bold with slashs/**_**:non sentint AI Thoughts and or speach**_

* * *

><p>"when you meet Queen Altea, be respectful. Her courts a bit more informal then other records of other kings but its relative." Mafin nodded nervously to Zessus.<p>

Queen Altea due to recent political pressure to disband the only alien marine regiment she was going to Libertà her self to help calm the politics.

The stay at New Mississippi was a stop over and Mafin was not going to ignore this chance to get the Wanderer back and help her crew.

She had asked Zessus how one got a audience with the queen he said he would ask her. She had agreed to hold a audience.

She idly wondered what her odds were meeting with the Turian councilor and Altea had more power and far more loyalty then he ever could.

It was nerve wracking for some one who typically seen as the scum of a society. One screw up and her whole race could end up seen the same way to a species far more powerful, and she did not mean the humans here.

She took a breath.

"Relative?"

"bow only when you acknowledged and when you given leave." Mafin nodded again.

A Sky Lord exited the royal suite, sending Mafin a foot in the air.

Sky lords were the traditional royal guards* explaining why she was there. Mafin had never seen one before so the massive gun and 'wings' were a impressive sight.

"The queen is ready."

"That you cue." Zessus said and waved her though and Mafin entered the room.

Masari embassy are two story structures with the top floor a royal suite with bedrooms and a audience chamber loaded with the best security the Alliance had.

Mafin did not know it but there were a good half dozen auto guns that were a half second floor flip away from unleashing a payload of tech shells and there was at least one 120MM sawed off Autocannon in the room.

The audience room had a single reddish green carpet the led to the foot of the throne the Queen sat in.

Lining the walls to either side of the chamber were 20 disciplines each with the shoulder sized cannon pointing dead a head. To either side of the throne was a Sky Lord.

On the throne was queen Altea. The sky Lord that had fetched her also announced her.

"Announcing Mafin'Elm Vas Wanderer, Captain of the Quarian migrant fleet exploratory vessel the Wanderer."

"she may enter." Altea said giving her permission to have the audience. Mafin took a breath glad for the polarization on her visor.

Mafin walked up the carpet trying to fight her nerves. If she made one wrong move she would be dead before she could say sorry.

"Mafin'Elm Vas Wanderer." Altea said and Mafin recalled what Zessus said and bowed. "you may rise." Mafin did so "why did you request a audience Mafin?"

"I wish to make a request." Altea chuckled.

"is that all?"

"yes. When I was arrested by captain Zelmen the officers were split from the crew and the Wanderer was for lack of a better word impounded and the crew tried for piracy. The punishment if found guilty being death by spacing."

"I see. Were you pirates?" Altea said calmly.

"No. We were a exploratory vessel nothing more."

"then what do you fear?" she said back and Mafin took a breath.

"Quarians are not, well liked in general. We had in my view proven we were not pirates by allowing them access to are ships computers showing a record of everything we had done."

"I see, so what are you asking?"

"I'm asking that you try to get the crew of the Wanderer out of Turian custody." Altea shifted her hands so she held her chin.

"And what if it proves impossible?"

"I only ask that you try." Mafin was having a breathing issue due to nerves.

"Agreed." Altea said simply enough. Mafin was speechless. "Should it prove possible I shall make it part of the diplomatic meeting when we discuss when we shall return of there prisoners. You may leave."

"Th-thank you Queen Altea." She bowed again and Mafin left the audience chamber. Zessus walked in after she left.

"Was that the best choice mother?" he asked with a slight chuckle.

"It was the most moral choice." she said simply. Zessus chuckled again "Should I guide her back to the hotel?"

"You should." Altea said with a smile "why don't you like to stay at the Embassy?"

"You know I don't like all the Disciplines hanging on my every word, no offense." he said turning to one of the Disciplines lining the wall.

"None taken my lord." he said back

Zessus chuckled and walked out to meet with Mafin.

SHIFT.

Frank leaned against a Mako. The first Libertà marines were now on there name sake planet. Unlike a human planet there was no crowd to meet them, no cheering people, no lady's putting flowers in barrels, or guys, both sexes served.

It was somber as the first Libertà was added to the planet defense they made there way though the city to the trenches.  
>Arron lumbered up to him.<p>

"Hay Frank do you know what kind of armor that is?" he pointed to a marine in a set of armor that was both like, but different from the standard vengeance system.

It was slimer, but not by a grade deal and it was smaller. A standard marine about twice as big in armor, this one was only half as big.

"don't know, he not toting a rifle either." he only had a pair of automatic pistol on his belt along with a lot of C-90 high explosive blocks and pineapple grenades.

"what to check him out?" Arron asked. Frank nodded new armor types were always interesting and relvent.

The two of them moved over. "Marine!" Frank yelled friendly at him he turned to them and almost seem to start at Franks un-helmeted face. "YOU!"

"Me?" Frank said looking to Arron who just shrugged.

The marine flipped his visor, or rather her visor, up reveling her face.

"Your the one who, saved me!" Frank suddenly recognized the Asair in front of him.

"You! You joined the army?" she nodded.

"I felt I had something to give back I suppose."

"Spoken like a marine!" Arron said "what is you name any way we never did catch it."

"Aliner." she said.

"Ok now to say why we walked over here. What the heck is up with you armor is it a new mark?"

Aliner looked at her own armor with a smile.

"They made it just for us Biotics, the MK1 Fury." she posed lightly in it. "The whole thing a big amp giving me a lot of power." she lit her arms up with biotic glow.

"so your a specialist then?" Arron said.

"you may say that. No ones quite sure how I will fit into Alliance tactics though."

"Gunny! get your alien butt back in line!" the three of them turned to see the Drill sargent Charles Butcher, a man both of Frank and Arron knew well.

"Drill Sargent Charles?" the two said at the same time. He had trained both of them.

"That Major Butcher! The 1st Libertà needed a core of NCO so they raided the training staff for them till some of them prove themselves as able NCO. Is that a problem!" he yelled at them.

"NO SIR!" The two yelled back. Honestly Frank had a slight problem. It reeked of colonialism and only the facts that, A Major Butcher out ranked him, and B it was a common practice kept him from saying so.

Mostly A though.

"Good." Butcher growled and Aliner quickly went back into the line of marching marines.

They were moving though the streets ahead of them the sound of battle grew louder, artillery shells bursting in mid air and gun fire. She gulped.

"Don't worry." a Turian beside her said, she had inadvertly had her mike on making it loud enough to be heard. "I looked it up. Marines have a incredibly high survival rate, between the armor and shielding were should be ok. Also Gunny's, or Shiny's when we first get are camouflage programed." the armor was still gun metal, "are used for to hold points we should be sitting in a trench for five years."

Aliner nodded a loud burst of, something to loud for gun fire lit up. "Just a C-RAM." Major Butcher said as the Marines moved into the inner entrenchments.

Aliner hud lit up showing the face of Major Butcher live streamed to all the marines. "Your HUDs are preprogrammed to lead you to you position. Don't stray from its lead, don't stick you head out of the trench or your get hit by anti tank rifles and likely die. Stay down and stay alive." Aliner nodded her self as the line broke up as Marines moved to there postings.

She did not notice when her armors programing was updated automatically from a Flow tower and was programed with camouflage.

The armor took on a monomolcular color layer of dull gray and browns with the occasional green. The colors of no mans land. It also had a thin varnish giving it a faint shine, nothing that ruined the camouflage but enough to be noticed from close up.

Hence why she had graduated from 'Gunny' to 'Shiny'.

The gun fire ahead of her was mostly the bang of RR-88 rifles and not the 'pea shooter' the Batarians used.

After take a left at a intersection she saw a marine braced over the trench wall gun blazing at some unseen target she started to run forward her HUD stopped lighting her path out as she had arrived.

The trench wall was lined with marines who where firing at some unseen target. They were standing on a sort of raised pulpit

"Hay shiny!" a marine yelled at her over his shoulder. "Find a fire port and start shooting!" a bullet went over head cutting a blue tracer on that blew the marines shield ducking him down.

He then hopped off the pulpit and looked at her his face plate clicking up.

Her HUD was going nuts though. A image super imposed the marine with a list that went over his name, rank, current weapon usage, and serial number. With a slight growl she turn it off and answer the man.

"I can't." she lift her pistol sheepishly. "I was only issued a pair of pistols." his questioning look said it all, quickly he chined a button in his helmet and his visor slid down again. She suspect he was look at her rank.

"special weapon trooper?" his visor slid up again. "what the hell is that?" he then eyed her armor noting the look, he frowned.

"Ok alien, I give what the hell are you?"

"how you know?" he visor slid up.

"any member of the 1st Libertà is alien." he stopped questioning when his shield fully recharged and he jumped back on the pulpit and began to fire again.

Aliner looked for something to do and when a man stepped off the pulpit to let his gun cool off.

"Git up there." he said slightly annoyed and Aliner nodded and took his place her pistol under sized compared to the others rifles.

Her HUD target lit up showing her just where her bullets were going to go, a button chining zoomed it 3X giving her good sight.

The Batarians were a trench raid that had gotten caught in no mans land at day break they had taken cover in some old trench lines dug by the Batarians when before the human had conquer Hegdmr line and were trying to work there way back to there lines.

Right now a spray of smoke rounds from a mortar was covering them in thick gray smoke. The marines lit up there rate of fire to try and bring them down and Alliance auto mortars were laying a bombardment on them.

Aliner took a breath and fired the large pistol having the same range as a council assault rifle even if it was only a semi auto. She took aim and fired the rounds as fast as she could trying to take a slaver out. To no avile due to the smoke they had covering them.

Aliner took a few more shots till a lieutenant gave the order to cease fire, they were out of range and had escaped.

She put the pistol to her belt. "Is it always like that?" she muttered a marine to her left, the lieutenant her HUD said replyed.

"not always." he looked her over. "so your are reinforcement?" he noted a few more members of first Libertà arrived, there skill or lack there of evident in the fact they got to the fire base in ones and twos rather then by squad.

The lieutenant looked the group over. A platoon was being assigned to his fire base and he noted that most of the NCO were human officers.

"Right then, my Visa will update you guys into a patrol rotation in the mean time get to the bunker and when the program calls you up you take you places I put a small animal doctor to help you get you small steel wheel in each rotation."

Aliner blinked the idioms going right over her translator "I'm sorry but a small animal doctor? And small steel wheels?"

"Vet, short for veteran. And baring, as, you know figure it out." he said with a growl. "any way how you spend your time in the bunker is your business, we keep a deck of play cards, TV, radio and a free to play world of war craft account at all time. Getting you knuckle heads, a remember you training, head the alarm get to the trenches. Dismissed!"

He lumbered back to a raised parapet as marines went back to bunkers or to there posts. Like men of WW1 they lived in these trenches for five years, at 12 month intervals. Aliner went to the bunker she want some rest.

SHIFT

The news that a queen was coming to Libertà was spread and every marine who was on leave in the city went to see her, the moral soul of the Alliance.

To the Aliens though it was more complex. To them a single queen was some what archaic. Even the Salarians had a council instead of one supreme ruler. And in this case she was the ruler for what was rapidly seeming to be a immortal life.

There was a lot of curiosity even if the Alliance was putting the pressure up with a joint Human and Masari guard force.

Where Queen Altea went the Masari army went as well. In open areas in the center of the city a Masari base grew to the astonished aliens

From the hands of Architects beams of yellow light spread out and matter engines grew from nothing before countless omni tool video recorders. The base grew rapidly and soon it was ready.

The doors of the Energy magnet opened and Queen Altea emerged.

She had not changed since first contact and was as regal as ever. A Sky Lord at each side she emerged form the golden glow of the magnet to the cheering of marines and a few aliens caught up in the glow of royalty and the sheer regalness of it.

"my queen, I recommend you give you speech on the marrow. We can have no guarantee of you safety." The Sky lord to her left said and she smiled lightly.

"Valkon I trust you skill impeccable, but I also know I will never have a better moment while the glow from my entrance is still fresh in there minds." She said back with a smile.

Hersin Valkon resisted the urge to snort, that same glow would have sent human into religion bliss a very short time ago, except those men from the north whoas name her clan lent to there collectors of the slain. They would have bowed and all, then drink a cup of mead and killed a boar for a feast and she would arm wrestle a man till his arm broke if he didn't yield.

Good times

"My queen the Batarians may try something. There still may be single man left with a pipe bomb left."

"Thats why I have you." Hersin took a breath, being the royal guard was trying some times given just how, plebeian there current rulers were. The captain of the guard remembered the time under King Alentus and he often said he was a easier monarch. Less impressing and poltics and more ordering.

Still Hersin would sell her life in a heart beat to save her queen.

"Take heart, I have taken bullets before with out DMA and I have lived." Hersin felt a stab of shame go though her, that insane sniper had manged to get past them and shot Altea, with a bullet hollow point bullet, from a old Lee-Enfield rifle. The fanatic had been slayed quickly once the might of the Royal Guard fell on him.

Altea had not been harmed the simple chemical propelled bullet doing little damage Masari weren't only longer lived but they were harder to hurt as well. Still, that such a thing happened at all, it dug into the guards soul.

"You've never taken a mass effect bullet my queen." Hersin said back her temper some what flaring but keeping it tightly controlled.

The three of them, Altea, Hersin, and the other sky lord Ulen were moving forward though the crowd was kept a good distance back by a lines of disciplines as they moved to the transport. Her speech was going to be given in a large hull, before the invasion it was a auction house for slaves. They were taking a transport as the Masari had a taboo about flowing.

The Altea entered the transports and with a brief flash of yellow light the transports 'wings' lifted it off the ground. Hersin and Ulens soon joined it as it cut across the city.

SHIFT

Foot steps rang in the hall way as the Warrior moved forward. Before him was his lord. He looked at a reading with a frown. "is this correct? Has the queen moved to such a remote world?"

The Warrior was silent as he lord thought aloud. A dangerous habit perhaps but it was a habit he had none the less.

"It must be! Warrior! Send you fleet to this, Libertà and kill her. The gate off world will be disabled, and the relay will be lightly guarded it has been long since we fought them there so they will be unprepared.

Warrior nodded "It will be done."

_-Codex Masari government-_

_The Masari government is a oddity. In a age of space travel they have a absolute monarchy and a political system most closely aligned with feudalism._

_Each individual Masari is a member of a clan, which is more politically akin to a state then a fief. Each clan is lead by a noble, who is in turn sworn to follow a lord who follow the queen or king of the Masari._

_The monarch has absolute authority in theory, in truth there countless social and cultural taboos that keep a sharp limit on the monarchs power._

_Each lord has the same absolute authority over the clans that follow him that the monarch does over all the lords. In every territory the clans he leads has his laws and wishes are enforced. Once again there are countless social rules that keep the noble from going to far and nobles can't form a law that conflicts a with the monarch. All the clans that follow a lord are called a tribe the name of which is the lords last name. Each lord is also the noble of there own clan which often takes after there last name as well._

_The next step is the noble who had authority over each clan. Once again his rule is absolute and he may pass laws that effect his clan as he sees fit as long as they do not conflict with either his nobles law or the monarch. Each clan is a collection of Masari who often live together in the same district, which is called territory._

_Some times members of a clan live apart from the rest of the clan, in which case a honor system enforces the laws of the clan, which are general kept._

_The legal system for the Masari is to take a problem to the Noble of the clan and should that not being resolution then they may appeal to the Lord, and to the monarch. Each Monarch appoints Inquisitors as judges to speak for them in high grade cases when they can not be present due to distance, illness or any other reason._

_There are a couple way to change clans, though most way have a great stigma, the first way is to join the standing army which is a clan onto it self, its Lord is the general of the army who is Charos, hence why his title is lord. When you leave the army you may join any clan though it is customary to return to you own. Those who don't are called Nio'ling, honor less, disrespective of there clan._

_The other way is to be invited by the clans noble. This is done if a clan has a is a desired individual such as a great philosopher, warrior or has great power over light and dark energy. If the individual accepts they will generally be welcome by the clan they join and that clans allies, and be scored by the clan they left and there allies._

_The last way is by marriage which unlike the others has no stigma. The groom joins the brides clan and his clan receives a dowry to make up for the lost individual. Should they divorce the groom will rejoin his original clan. The exception is if a male clan leader marrys a lower ranked member of a different clan in which case the bride join his clan. On this subject homosexual relations among the Masari are uncommon but not unheard off and have the same rights as heterosexuals_

_The prestige of a lord is equivalent to the number of clans under his rule and how well they are manged, the prestige of a noble is how many people are in his clan has and how well they live. Similar to how a individual may change clans a clan may change lords only by being asked to by a lord though it is common for a clan to ask a noble to ask them to join._

_The lord who lost a clan loses face, and the lord who gained a clan gains it so each lord has a incentive to keep his nobles happy._

_Lords and nobles pass power the same way, to there children, how ever to be a lord or a noble requires certain levels of power over light and dark energy and if the children of a noble fail to met this monarch imposed limit any member of the clan who does meet the limit may appeal to there clans lord to be made the noble of the clan._

_If a lord though fails to meet the limit, which is sharply higher then a nobles limit, his power over the tribe is abolished and any clans then swaps to a new lord within a seven day period._

_The system is labyrinth and in the past Masari lords and nobles have engaged in hundred year long wars of political intreage and influence. With the Masari population so low such 'games' are impossible on such a scale and time scale._


	13. War

**_eurge,,, you ever write somthing you can't quite understand? my Codex entry ended up like that. the Global somthing I have problems with so i will gladely take reviews on the subject._**

**_before i leave you alone to those who may or may not think that the attack was a bit to sudden, well so was peral hurbor when you right down to it! its a rapid ambush strike of course it be fast, about as subtle as train, but fast. _**

**_Any way let the games begin!_**

**_Now edited by Halo token._**

**_BOLD leaning type: text messages._**

_Leaning_:thoughts plus song.

**/Bold with slashs/**_**:non sentint AI Thoughts and or speach**_

* * *

><p>Willem looked over the smouldering wreckage of the quantum gate. Marines were running all over the area confused and slightly panic, wondering what had happened. Willem had a bad feeling he knew what.<p>

The gate was a ruined mass of twisted metal spread over a 300 foot radius. The three sensors on his face flipped out as he got some scans of the area. He was not happy when he got them.

He turned on his radio. "Admiral Jackson. This is Spec Op trooper Willem. It was a plasma bomb that took the gate out."

Jackson swore, violently, Willem almost did so himself. A plasma bomb meant only one thing, the Hierarchy was on Libertà.

SHIFT

The cruiser Patton was floating in stealth mode near the Catapult to Libertà along with a task force of Comet Hawk bombers. Captain Keara was sleeping when the alarms klaxons screamed.

"What!" She shot up from her bed I let Dan flood her brain with information.

"Warning: Hierarchy saucers inbound, numbers, in excess of 30!"

Keara blanched as she began to throw a combat uniform on as she gave orders. "Engines to full! Get as far away as we can break stealth!" The Hoplite class was far faster than any ship the Hierarchy had.

"Engines to full." Dan said back and Keara felt the ship's inertia dampeners fail to contain the full acceleration as the ship sped forward.

"Second." She said as she moved though the hall ways "Contact the Enterprise I want to know if they're still alive."

"Confirmed." Dan said back.

Keara stepped on to the bridge no captain on deck met her speed and focus need rather than the brief ceremony.

"Is the Fighter patrol following us?"

"Yes sir! They don't want to get on the wrong end of that fleet."

The Patton was visible, but the fleet did not bother them, they had bigger targets in mind, a target they could catch. They approached the catapult and were engulfed in blue light as it threw them across space to the Libertà system.

"Contact Libertà they need to know what's coming."

SHIFT

Aliner shifted slightly, the humans were trying to teach them how to play some sort of card game, what going fishing (What's a fish?) had anything to do with the game escaped her.

A warning Claxon went off and the marines gave a half pause at the red light before they began moving leaving Aliner behind as marines grabbed Rifles as they left the bunker as fast as they could in a well drilled manner.

Aliner followed them, unlike the other marines she just had a pair of pistols.

Her HUD lit up with the face of the commander of the marine detachment,

"At 04:00 the quantum portal off world was destroyed, by a plasma bomb." Aliner felt the marines around her wince at that. "As you well know that means three things, one, we can't built another one for at least 58 hours, two, the Hierarchy are come and three, our problem with the Batarians is about to become moot."

"They at 07:00 a Hierarchy fleet was seen passing though the Shanxi-Libertàcatapult. They will be here in less than 24 hours. All marines are to head to action stations, all leave is cancelled and all marines not in armour are to be lathed." Aliner gulped this was big.

"Above all the city of Libertà prime is not to fall! Queen Altea is our priority and she must not be allowed to be captured or killed. Everything else is secondary! My life, your life, everything! We cannot afford to lose her!"

Aliner shock her head as she got to her position in the machine gun pit were she was stationed.

The machine gun, honestly automatic grenade launcher, was 300 pounds and fired 60mm rounds from a 200 round buffer with a chemically cooled barrel, like water cooled only with constantly cooled antifreeze allowing constant fire with no cool down. It was called the rapid fire grenade launcher, or the RF-GL99. Around it was a pair of humans, a Salarian, and a Turian along with herself.

The two humans made last minute adjustments to the gun, though Aliner suspected cannon would be a better term since it would not look out of place as a light tanks main gun.

"Hell of a place for a shiny." A Human said as he checked the coolant. "They're going to hit this place hard." Aliner gulped, her mike picked it up unfortunately and the humans laughed. "Don't worry, after we pop you guys and you will be marine's not just aliens." Aliner was confused about the slang but let it slide, she had a feeling she did not want to know.

SHIFT

Hersin was running herself semi ragged with all the countless elements that were the difference between living and death.

Architects were digging in and hard everywhere as civilians were moved to shelters/subways, land mines placed in the streets, building to build and a bomb shelter to finish up.

Hersin sighed as information ran across the eye piece of her helmet with information flooding from organics and synthetics. So much information it was giving even her, a slight headache.

Queen Altea was managing the big things and that left her to do the small ones.

"Valkon I wish to ask you something." Hersin sighed again and on top of that she now had to be in a conversation, a human would have snapped by now.

In the time she had made that groan she had already dispatched thirteen crews to help people who did not know what the sirens meant and ordered the construction of more matter engines and 49 more matter mines over the globe mind that linked the Masari Alg'on clan, or military clan.

"What is it my queen?" Hersin said.

"Do you think the Hierarchy will attack the other cities, or just this one?" _Good a military question_ Hersin thought.

"Unlikely given they're here for you. They'll put all their force into this city hoping to kill you."

"Indeed."Altea said back. She casted slightly in the globe mind herself. "They'll be here soon." T minus-3 hours. In fact.

SHIFT

The Hierarchy commander Warrior looked over the numbers, his assault would pound the capital that much he knew but he also planned to destroy any gate that was being built to do that he would keep a fourth of his force in orbit for a quick response force.

Warrior smiled, or he did the Hierarchy equivalent of a smile which was to squint and have your eyes curved up at the corners. Small months meant their eyes were very expressive.

Time was ending for this world.

SHIFT

Aliner was resting in the pit her armour as comfortable as any bed, when it gave her, a brief shock to her body like an alarm clock jolting her up.

"Just in time." The Salarian said. "Their walkers just hit the atmosphere." Aliner tried to rub the back of her head, only for her armour to get in the way. She looked up to see red hot objects begin to descend to the planet.

SHIFT

The Batarians had no idea what was happening, the STG team on the planet had a slightly better idea due what they had learned on . All they knew was round ships appeared in orbit and began to fire rounds into the planet Shanxi, but it was still a sight.

Ablaze like comets they roared down word glowing hotter than iron needed to be for any forging. They blotted out the sky and cast a red tint across the sky over powering the blue like the fires of hell were raining from the heavens. A few minutes later they landed.

Around the city, often on top of the Batarian positions the walkers crashed. With a howling scream that set nerves ablaze and on edge they smashed into the ground kicking up a shock wave and blocks of top soil the size of a man's head rained down as dust was thrown sky ward obscuring the metallic forms underneath.

Then they stood up.

Each leg unfolded in from the crashing position with a hum of servos and thudded into the ground, more than a few Batarians were crushed under foot.

The massive bulk of the habitat walkers loomed over them, 800 tons, over 400 feet tall, armed with six plasma turrets in the hull, four heavy guns on the legs and six range enhancers studded the top like a crown. The loathsome commanders of the walkers soon got new orders from command with regards to the, piddling, lesser beings around them.

_"Kill them all."_

Suddenly they opened fire.

Green blasts of plasma fired from the guns of the walkers as they tore into the Batarians and the spire atop each walker opened up and in a flash of yellow light waves of Grunts were teleported to the front.

The Batarians were killed. Their guns bullets bounced off heavy Grunt armour and their shields were blown apart by heavy plasma shot guns and their body's cooked by radiation.

With a hiss the Habitat walkers shut down for 60 second as they dumped their radiation cores spraying radiation over the whole area. The mutated Grunts were unharmed, even healed by the radiation the walkers dumped, the Batarians though,,

The lucky ones died.

Those who lived were mutated their skin grew blisters, became pale and their eyes milked over there bloating body's pushing through their armour as tumours' bust forth from their skin and burst when they had contact with the air coating them in pus, bile and mucus.

As the Batarians were subverted the next wave of walkers landed, this time guided by glyphs carved into the top soil by carvers who arrived after the first wave.

The assemble walkers soon began to teleport in robotic tanks and vehicles it was now time to attack.

SHIFT

Aliner gapped at the sheer number of troops bearing down on them. Then the machine gun team opened on up the first ranks, the mutated Batarians. The gun was too big for the job and completely shredded the feeble beings of flesh.

Each explosion pulped the mutated Batarians like a wood chipper. Bones and muscles flew sky ward in a red tinted mist as the RF-GL99 kept pounding at the slaves as they approached, sores weeping fluids rushing onto death that some, last sane corner of their minds wanted.

The air became thick with the flesh of the slaves and the moans of their changed throats. Aliner was finally shocked out of her stupor and she added to the storm of death her pistols blazing with the rest of the fire base.

As they came on mortar pounded and sang a symphony of death the rhythmic thumping, and endless explosions that followed each well aimed launch landing in an endless storm of metal and death.

The Hierarchy came on with their only artillery. Purger class light walkers sent radiant green tracers skyward as radiation artillery screamed sky ward each shell filled with highly radioactive chemicals and all across the line C-RAM opened up filling the sky with tracers each round detonating and destroy a radioactive shell the green mist filling the sky with poisonous fumes that would almost melt a man's skin off.

The green fogs rained from above, but in a diffuse, limited cloud, highly radioactive, and were it not for nanobots enough to kill a man in a week even in power armour. As it stood the nanobots helped keep the radiation from affecting them by fixing the damage the radiation did as fast as it was caused.

Aliner felt the pinprick of needles jabbing into her skin as the chemical cock tail injected itself into her skin and it felt like her whole body was blushing as the increase heart rate the adrenalin gave forced nanobots around her body and they tinted her skin with a silvery 'battle pallor'.

Cells were destroyed, replaced, killed and destroyed, in a heartbeat as radiation mutated, nanobots destroyed, then promoted the splinting a new cell to replace the lost cell in a heartbeat. In a normal being such a rapid cell turnover rate would burn your body out in a week and only with the high energy chemicals injected into her body could she still be alive later.

That and for her Asari cells were very forgiving of abuse due to their longevity needing a highly stable cell division method.

Aliner had no idea this was going on it was viewed by the human military as a something that took a week to explain when the simple laconic, it keeps radiation from killing you, was enough.

The slaves came on under a rapidly greening sky as they got cut down the Grunts behind them soon became visible between the slaves and through the red mist in the air.

The red pulp in the air dimmed as the last slaves fell, and now Grunts were ripped apart by the heavy guns of the alliance troops.

Aliner ducked down as a blast of green plasma sailed over her head the Grunts were getting closer.

The armour gave her the look as being calm but inside? It was hell.

The air was poison, the artillery roaring behind her drowning out all sound, the impact of heavy rounds ahead of her, the endless buzzing of C-RAM, the explosion of the shells in the air, the screams of Grunts as they died by the thousands, this was war on a scale the council had never seen.

The Grunts were getting closer, their sheer numbers pushing them on, the Alliance had good reason to suspect the Hierarchy practiced cloning the sheer numbers of incoming infantry proving the point

A green storm of plasma fire arched and danced around her as they approached the heavy shotguns blaring filling the air with plasma. Aliner ducked into a trench to avoid the hail storm for a moment then rose up again only to find a Grunt staring her in the face, this one had gotten lucky and, now it was very unlucky.

With a reflex born of panic she whipped her armour out and fired a warp point blank into its skull pulping the armour, and the flesh beneath, the blood that sprayed over her helmet repelling off the ionized face plate.

The grunts were getting closer, they looked like a tide, beating upon a rock explosions echoing among their ranks pulping and ripping grunts apart, they came forward and beat against the defences hammering upon gun and blade. Aliner could almost see individual faces.

Focusing her might her arms lit in a blue electrical storm she felt the incredible power the armour gave her the almost three pounds of element zero giving her incredible biotic powers.

With a roar she pulled her arms back and threw them forward with a release of blue lighting.

The entire Grunt wave in front of her were pulled sky war and their cries changed to sudden surprise, to both the humans and the Grunts. She then followed with a throw hurling over 100 tightly packed Grunts over 100 meters through the air.

The Grunts seemed to want to both retreat, and advance but the ones in back kept going forward making a big disordered mob that were easy targets for artillery. Rapidly the force of Grunts thinned, where once there was a tide, now there was a wave, then a trickle then they were dead.

Aliner was shocked at how quick it had been and slumped into her trench.

"It's over." She muttered the two humans laughed. "Over? That was just a probe, now they know where to hit, where to avoid, and where to shoot their walkers main guns at." On the last word they did just that.

The main guns of the walkers soon hammered blast, after blast of green plasma down upon the humans, their goal was the C-RAMs entrenched into rifle pits as they were blasts smashed into ramparts in splashes of green plasma and radiation as the walker put a barrage of plasma fire on the targets.

The earth and nanosteel ramparts meant the plasma splashed harmlessly. Meanwhile the air was filled with the long range plasma of phase tanks, this blast was to keep the human heads down as the walkers tried to get some artillery to hit them.

The walkers lesser plasma leg guns were hammering the trenches and marines ducked low as the fire blew trenches apart and the next wave advanced again.

Aliner was trying to block out the roar of plasma guns when the bellow of much large artillery opened up behind them. Unlike the mortars these had a bore of almost a foot and the dug in guns had autoloaders locking new buffers in after every 25th round.

Almost as fast as a machine gun fires, shells were sent arching up, and down ending in a thunderous crescendo of explosive fury some of them so large they made MOAB envious.

The air was rocked by shock wave after shock wave of thunder, blast fronts of flame, the screams of those damned souls who were trapped in the maelstrom.

Each explosion the human artillery that carved slightly radioactive creators into the ground was met by a green plasma blast that tore the ground asunder and ripped the earth apart in highly radioactive shell holes that sent humans flying melting armour with direct hits, and overwhelming radiation defences with sheer power.

Under a green radioactive sky, within a shell torn wasteland, with a thousand aliens roaring for the blood of marines, a land bestride by war machines the size of cities, minds broke.

"ENOUGH!" Aliner yelled into a uncaring sky of green poison, scared with shell contrails, "MAKE IT STOP!"

SHIFT

Mordin took a breath into his gas mask as he watched the duel of artillery and walker his mind was trying to wrap itself around the scale of this war, and the fact that intercepted human communication said this was a raid to kill the Masari queen.

A roar above him drew his attention looking up a flight group of Dervishes and some,, odd air craft? Honestly he did not know if the Sky lords alongside deserved that designation.

"Mordin!" Almon yelled into his headset and Mordin replied,

"Forgive, delay, just,," The image of the battle dominated the front of him.

"I know." Almon said, he was on the same ridge just farther away and could see the battle as well.

"Have you spied any Masari yet?" Mordin looked sky ward again at the sky lord.

"I think I have. He's flying a,,a,,I,, have no words for the thing."

"I think I know what you mean." Almon said back. "In their current state though I don't risk shooting at him to try and bring him down, we would have a shell dropped on us faster then we can breath, just wait for the, second army to bring one down and we move in."

SHIFT

The flight group roared over the skies.

Hersin was the right wing man for a Dervish keeping pace with the FTL plane easily.

Despite what many thought of them the Masari did change with the times. Their weapons and equipment taking many ideas and designs from humans to better mesh with a joint combine arms force and to be better on their own.

The mighty Sky lord armour was a case in point, from first contact the mighty armour had been changed, now it fully encased the warrior with no bare skin showing, had higher grade targeting computers allowing air to air combat, a small DM missile launcher on each hip, her right hand had a small energy bolter and her left handed Light Bomb main gun could be fired in a single massive blast rather than a cluster bomb.

All in all they were better against walkers then any time before.

Hersin flared her wings again and the suit sped up as her head set lit up.

"Right, stay close air craft on are six." She rotated, still flying in line to look at the incoming saucers. The Dervishes rotated and fired anti matter at the incoming saucers as machine guns chattered AA bullets. The Saucers soon loosed there foo fighters the balls of orange glowing plasma.

Hersin pointed her energy bolter and fired blasts of glowing yellow energy at the fighter along with a single cluster bomb from her energy cannon. The foo fighters were penetrated, and broke apart by the rounds and the saucers were torn into by high power weapons that soon sent the air craft falling into the ground.

Hersin was smiling under her helmet when her alarms went off she spun slightly to see a foo fighter cling to, and melting into, her left wing.

She cursed, the new foo fighters were self controlling you had to take them out, you could not just hit the saucer to knock them out as she was on the edge of the formation the one fighter they had failed to get had latched to her wing.

With a grimace she activated the polarity shield, foo fighters had an innate electrical charge on them due to their plasma nature, by polarizing the same charge as the foo fighter you could repel it off.

The problem was that you never knew what the charge was, you could repel it with a like charge, or attracted with an opposite charge and make it go hyper and melt even faster till it exploded.

And unfortunately she set it wrong.

The foo fighter glowed brightly a less than a second later the plasma ball flew off as the computer auto corrected and shifted the polarity but the damage was done. Her left wing melted off and fell spinning to earth.

The right one rapidly extended and like a seed she ended up spinning to earth. Her head set bleeped at her.

"Lord One is down, repeat Lord One."

"This is Command, do we have Avenger?"

Hersin spoke up. "Lord one to command, I'm coming down in a spin but my armour is still intact continue mission I'll activate protocol eight and rejoin the war host, delinking global mind."

"Understood Lord one, Releasing control."

Hersin felt the tingle detach from her mind and she was alone. She crashed though the forest branch and landed on a ridge, not far from where the Alliance set up their Artillery when they first invaded. Like always she landed on her feet.

She looked over the battle field were bombers were beginning there runs without her.

She almost sighed, a Protocol eight was hid out in the woods till you got to a flow tower or could sneak back into a city, she was going to miss the battle.

And to someone who enjoyed battle so much the inspired a whole group of mythic warrior women that was downright depressing.

"Put your weapons down and you hands in the air your surrounded." Hersin looked around to see a group of Salarians surrounding her.

"Yes I am surrounded." A wolfish smile, "You poor bastards."

-Codex Global mind-

The Global mind is the global, and sometimes interplanetary, command network for the Masari. Based on the Masari innate low levels of telepathic connection, the same used for their beacon FTL-C.

The Global mind is a mass telepathic link of Masari the system allows one globe commander to control forces as one might manipulate fingers. The system also works as a mass relay system for the combined Light and Dark power of the Masari.

None but a few Lords have the power to keep enough DMA to withstand a walker blast on their own, but by channelling the power of an army, or even a squad, the total power of the Masari power increases in relation to how many Masari are on the 'network'. This is also why Masari units can't mix and match dark and light mode, the whole Global mind must remained focused on one state of mind to have the level of power need for the Masari advance weapons.

The Global minds ability to link minds means that low level matter users in the Masari citizenships can achieve high grade power use, but it only allows more endurance, not control.

The command and control aspect of the Global mind is best compared to a computer server. One mind, always a Lord as only they have the power to 'host' the link. To access the lords links requires a cipher that filter the thoughts of one being, into a form another can understand as all minds even those of the same species are fundamentally different though depending on the level of metal encryption you can alter your message across the global mind so only those with a cipher of a certain clan or tribe can get the information, similar to how Masari communication beacons work.

The Global minds greatest weakness is the same as its strength. Even the lowest discipline has access to the highest lord and if a single discipline is mind controlled the being that holds the discipline has access to the global mind as if one held a radio that let one peer into the thoughts of the lord commander. Also the link cannot be terminated by the lord alone, it needs to have the consent of the one whose mind has the cipher so it can be removed without driving him insane.

Lastly the thoughts of the group are amplified the same way as there matter powers, if moral is good the members of the global mind feel happy and confident, if it's low then all members of the mind get depressed and sad. Its why solider in the Masari army tend to be stoic and speak in a monotone they are suppressing their emotions to keep from effecting the lord commander decision making process.


	14. war the second

**_new chapter, and forgive the daly in how long this took, i got some new games on my birth day iv'e been busy with, sorry so lets get started!_**

**_Retcon: I spell checked my codex. sorry for the bad grammer._**

**_Double retcon: now edited by halo token._**

**_BOLD leaning type: te_****_xt messages._**

_Leaning_:thoughts plus song.

**/Bold with slashs/**_**:non sentint AI Thoughts and or speach**_

* * *

><p>"Yes I am surrounded." A wolfish smile, "You poor bastards."<p>

Hersin fired her energy bolter in a wide arch that cut down a pair of STG members before they could return fire and a single energy blast from the cannon carved a hole into the hill side that blew three Salarians apart.

In a half second mass effect round slammed into the sky lord armour. To no effect.

Hersin fired her bolter in a wide sweeping arch that lit trees on fire as she scythed through cover for targets.

"Come out! And fight me!" She bellowed at the Salarians and she accented it with a blast of the energy cannon set to cluster bomb carving an almost cone of destruction though the trees.

Mordin took aim with a pistol and tried to hit her only to run into a shimmering shield of Light matter. He got a blast of the cannon in response. Dipping down in a slight dip he waited for his gun to cool.

"How can we fight him!" Someone said into a headset. "The armours like a tank!"

"So we use anti tank." Mordin said simply someone got the idea and ran with it. A grenade launcher soon started to hammer.

Tracers of gray smoke showed the path of each of the heavy AT round as they pounded into Hersin with plumes of smoke and fire.

Smoke curling off her armour she walked forward, damaged, but not looking it. A cluster of light bombs smashed forward and the Salarian with the grenade launcher was killed.

Mordin fired an Inferno at her the flames washing over the armour; he got a hail of energy bolts in response.

Hersin waited for some more gunfire; none came, with a smile she marched into the woods seeking the STG team out.

"COME OUT!" She yelled as she moved into the forest "I'll MAKE IT QUICK!" The Salarians were forming up for an ambush this time with reinforcements that had arrived from all over the forest, every STG member who had been looking for a Masari and general Intel gathering.

The sniper round that slammed into her energy cannon was not a surprise to her, and her well planed response, was to fire both weapons as fast as she could into the woods in all directions.

Explosions were kicked up as Mass effect rounds sliced though the air and impacted the armour the returning fire sent Salarians flying.

Mordin had to duck low as energy bolts sliced through, literally THROUGH a tree.

It was incredible how much power one soldier had. It was less an infantry unit and more a walking tank! Mordin had to duck low as another blast of light energy, this time from the cannon blew the tree, and most of the roots under it apart in a shower of burning splinters.

He crawled under a hail of light matter and met up with a sniper nearby who pounded Hersin with a viper.

The two shared a look and began shooting from the position of the hill. Sniper round impacted armour, and heavy pistol and the occasional tech attack splashed across the mail of the gods.

The two ducked down to let their gun cool and they shared a look. _What would it take to kill it? _After a half moment they slid back up the hill to resume shooting.

Only for a hand to lash out and grab the sniper next to Mordin by the head and lifted him up.

While the two of them had waited for their gun to cool Hersin had walked though a hail storm of fire to deal with the sniper who had fired the first shot.

The sniper struggled in the grip, held almost a foot off the ground he drew a pistol and fired point blank into her armour five times. She scoffed, ignoring the rounds impacting her chest.

"For those who strike from shadows," She started to squeeze, slowly, the sniper struggled harder. He could hear the bones in his skull groan under the strain like a steel girder in a windstorm. The first crack in his bones cut his thoughts apart like a knife, more than the pain, the sound of it ringing though his ears.

His struggles stopped as he came to one basic conclusion, he was going to die. Five more cracks later, his head was pulped into nothing under the pressure.

In a plume of blood his head burst like a squeezed water balloon the blood splattered from the radius out. As soon as it hit her armour the heat of the self repair systems promptly set it to boiling. Mordin was just soaked.

She then lowered the energy bolter to point level with his forehead. The thing that stuck with Mordin most was her smile, she was enjoying this.

The biotic warp that smashed into her back threw her aim off and saved his life. As it stood the bolt sheared off one of his head horns.

Hersin stumbled left. She took a glance at her integrity to show how much her armour was holding together. The result was not good. Normally the armour could take almost 30 point blank Plasma shot gun blasts, and many times that in mass effect rounds. The problem she had reached that limit with warps, AT grenades, and a hell of a lot of high power sniper fire.

With a roar she fired a cluster bomb into the forest as she began to slowly walk back; once her armour had self repaired she would plunge back into the fight. Not a retreat, but a fall back to hammer them again.

Unfortunately for her, Mordin was more stubborn then that. Still on the ground he launched a cryo shot at her. Her legs froze and she tried to flex around to kill him but failed due to the thin layer of ice.

With a hiss of frustration she fired her energy bolter into the ice melting instantly, unfortunately the high explosive anti tank grenade that impacted the half second after that was too much.

With a sound like shattering ice her armour finally took enough and shattered spraying components all over as each piece fell off with no energy field to keep them together. When the flash of light faded from their eyes all that stood was a woman with an avenger pistol.

The Salarian team seemed stunned for a moment, one second there had been a warrior incarnate, now, not so much.

For a moment the two groups stared at each other before a Salarian finally shock off the surprise and waved his omni tool blasting her nerves with a neural shock. Only it seemed to do nothing, other them make her grimace, but galvanize her to fight back.

With a snarl an energy pistol leapt into her hands as she made a run, backward, away into the tree line, only for a second neural shock to effectively taze her. The battle that went on for a good half hour was over in one hand wave.

The Salarians soon converged around the twitching, and still pissed, Hersin. Even as they watched they saw her try to stand only to be put down by another neural shock.

Almon applied some field bandages to Mordin's head as he called in some transport.

"This is Team A, we have are subject, need pick up."

"Good, transports are being to the pickup point."

"Confirm." Almon picked Mordin up by his arm and half supported him. "Right, pick the target up and let's move." A pair of wounded Salarians picked her up, she made an attempted to punch one of them but a final neural shock finished the attempts off.

"Let's move." Almon said and the Salarians limped off carrying their wounded, and leaving their dead.

SHIFT

The impact that drove Aliner to the ground caught her off guard.

The marine that had shoved her stood over her and promptly picked her up.

"You think you're the first shiny to crack? WE. Will. Hold! Or we will die!" The blasts of walker fire stopped impacting the trenches and the marine grabbed her by her armour and hefted her on to the fire parapet.

Aliner poked her head above ground just in time to see the hoard of grunts, under the covering walker fire they had gotten close, only a few yards away from the trenches and without good spotters, they had been driven down into the trenches due to lost one snipers and good suppressive fire. The artillery had been firing randomly into the killing zone turning it into a ruined chewed up mass of mud. And though they had done great damage upon the oncoming grunt hoard it was not enough to completely stop them.

So all of the Alliance weapons had to inflict enough damage to stop a human wave charge of nine foot tall aliens in thick armour with shotguns big enough to fit a pair of football's down the barrel, in less than ten seconds.

Aliner stared into the eyes of the on rushing hoard only for a plasma blast going over head to remind her of the situation. Her pistols began blazing into the grunts.

"Bursts, bursts." The marine advised as his assault rifle barked in stucco slices and Aliner did as advised. The RF-GL99 roared throwing high explosive rounds, and then when they got close enough, canister rounds, making it the shotgun, to end all shotguns.

Carving great holes in the Grunt waves as they shoved forward the still pressed on in a mindless push that would see them all destroyed, or them marching into victory.

The endless roar of artillery, staccato scream of guns, and the death cries of grunts were a back drop to the light show of tracers, muzzle flashes that cut though the red mist of atomized organs and meat.

Aliner roared as she lifted her arm back and threw it forward in a throw then sent the whole front of Grunts in front of her into chaos as bodies flew backward into the grunts moving and became a tangled mess, ripe for high explosive fire.

Mortars pounded down on the mass adding to the red haze as they were pulped and pieces of grunt landed around Aliner and on her.

"Phase tank!" A Marine yelled and Aliner eyed the intangible machine phasing though the shells like nothing. Without thinking about training, about how you could not damage a phase tank when phased she fired a warp at it with a finger twitch.

The gravity anomaly went out in a spinning disk and went through the tank, but the spinning mass of gravity upset the delicate and finely tuned phase equipment.

The tank dissipated, it just popped out of the dimension. The human crew were surprised as all hell but soon the information was relayed to command, biotics counters out phased equipment.

Aliner ducked down as the walkers began to blast again, each shot getting better placed as they tried to take guns out and let the Grunts into the inner trenches.

"So were did the tank go?" Aliner asked.

SHIFT  
>Meanwhile, Somewhere in Ba Sing Se<p>

"My cabbages!"

SHIFT

"Don't know don't care." The so far silent Salarian said and the humans agreed.

Aliner nodded then she felt a hand on her shoulder, and she was leaning against a trench wall!

With a small eek she stood up and twirled around to find a grunt with a phase module climb though the soil as it turned off and he was became real, er. They were caught off guard as a pair of plasma grenades were tossed and the gun was blown apart.

It then fired a pair of smaller plasma shotguns on each arm into the humans the irradiated plasma splashing over, and melting the armour. Aliner was taken back for a moment due to thesurprise, but drew her pistols up and in half a moment activated the blade.

From just under both the pistols barrels a mono-molecular blade sprouted created from the stored ammo in the buffer turning the pistol, into a bowie knife.

She thrusted forward stabbing the blades deeply into each of the Grunts eyes killing it instantly. She yanked them out with a wrenching twist that coated her armour in blood, strangely, without the smell, and the feel of it, her mind on an intrinsic level decided it was paint and it did not bother her.

Turning slightly the walker blasts stopped and the Grunts came forward, this time they knew a breach had been made by the phase tunnelers.

Above the ranks of Grunts stood Defilers spraying radiation into the marines as and spraying it behind them, healing and killing at the same time like a demonic ying and yang the endless pounding of artillery was replaced momentarily with the roaring swoosh of MLRS firing Steel Rain.

Rockets roared up, exploded in mid air and cluster bomb warheads arched down and explosions marched across no man's land in a hail of explosive fire that atomized body's and sent shock waves of force radiating out kicking dust up, and if you were far enough away, body's down.

For a half second the omnipresent fog of dust, dirt, metal, and meat obscured more then it normally did, for a second the Hierarchy did nothing, then they plunged forward the endless hoard of grunts emerged to charge forward, to many.

"All entrenched troops form Tier one defences are to fall back to Tier three, Tier two hold till ordered to fall back, then to tier three, MOVE IT!" Her HUD lit up showing the way to a nearby flow tower Aliner took a moment to slap in a pair of new buffers in her pistols she then started to move toward the tower her pistols barking at the grunts behind her as she moved her mind strangely detached from earlier.

The fighting retreat held the grunts off as the humans made an escape gun roaring and bullets slicing though the air the hierarchy was bleeding for every inch of ground.

It was a chaos of radiation, gun fire and the hammer of heavy artillery. Aliner paused to lock a new pair of 60 round buffers into the grips of her pistols only for a grunt to charge her with a roar not even bothering with the blades on the pistols she drew her arm back and threw a singularity though the hierarchy ranks the black hole wannabe sending grunts though the air.

With a smirk in her helmet a large grouping of high explosives from her belt were tossed via biotics and the ground behind her exploded like a miniature artillery bombardment. She then turned and worked her way through the trenches, shells landing around her chewing the ground apart.

She almost in sight of the flow tower when a green beam of radiation sliced though her view she turned to view the defiler move on its three spindly legs move in support of a large group of grunts she flexed her fingers a bit as the fire point around the flow tower ripped into the grunts with massed rifle fire.

With a flex of her arm a warp was fired that impacted the defiler head on blowing it's 'head' apart in a shower of toxic chemicals showering the area with even more rads then before.

She took aim and fired her pistols into the grunts as she willed a barrier to come to life around her and blasts of energy scoured around her but not one harmed her the grunts were trying though and kept charging the one woman who was not in a trench or taking cover but just standing there shooting at them.

She drove her knife into a grunts arm, fired the pistol blowing the arm off and then stabbed the second pistol into the grunts head, fired a mass pull lifting almost 12 grunts into the air, sunk a pistol knife into another grunt and finally got enough sense to fall back into the flow tower.

Plasma explosions ringing around her as grunts threw grenades around her she flipped over a lead BB sand bag and fired into the grunts propping her pistols onto the radiation resistant barrier as blasts of green energy flew past her.

For a half second her guns locked up and before she could take note of it the flow field activated and she found herself in a bunker.

She looked around for a half second confused as all heck, still on an adrenaline high that made any real drug look pathetic.

A marine grabbed her and pulled her from the flow beacon, the underground equivalent of a flow tower as another marine flowed in behind her.

"Your get used to the translations." The Marine said.

"We have some time till the second line fall back." That was not the marine but an automatic message from her head's up display.

"The bunker you're in is full sealed against the environment and contains all the supply's to survive a siege indefinitely." A newly flowed marine ended up bumping into her and she finally stopped looking around the flow room. She noted how the air was said to be clean she opened her helmet visor and took a deep breath of the air.

It stunk of blood and ozone and she almost retched as she noticed most of the smell was coming from all the blood on her ownarmour. For a second the high of battle was still running over her, but it faded to horror rapidly.

_Just how many people did I kill?_ Her mind buzzed slowly locking down. To humans killing grunts was nothing, so glorified and dehumanized by the human media it was seen more akin as putting a rabid dog down, or freeing them from the slavery of the overseers. To Aliner it had the same impact as killing anyone else she just about fell to her knees and tried to put a hand on her stomach through the sloped armour.

Her heavy thunking steps stopped as she serious began to feel like throwing up. She almost did not notice when a marine in mantle white armour and a solid red plus on his right shoulder pad and a caldius on the other and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Come on let's get you to the hospital wing, you need to decompress."

He guided her though the large bunker down hallways to the objective.

"Goddess, I, never, I mean..."The medic chaplain patted her armour.

"No shame in it, its hard being at a battle were a thousand screaming grunts come at you, you fight or die. You'd be surprised what the mind can get used to, but at some point you get over whelmed by the scale of the deaths. "

He led her to the medical wing which was filled with humans, and more than a few aliens, being treated for radiation, poisoning and plasma burns. He mentally interfaced with the bed and a beam of light from the top of the bed shot out and hit her armour and it was uploaded to the buffer.

She fell almost an inch as she lost the height and stumbled a little bit.

"Rest here, I'll check up on you in a half hour." Aliner sat down on the bed as the medic walked off. She looked around the calm environment as medics checked to both the mentally and physical health of humans and aliens.

She then felt the rising bile again and tried to fight it back, and failed. A nurse moved up quickly with a large, and half filled bucket.

Rapidly she bent over and vomited into the bucket the horror of sheer number of lives ended running down her face in salty tears.

-Codex:Hierarchy-

The Hierarchy, or as they call them selves the Hulrm,are a galactic scourge of resource hungry destroyers. at last count almost 39 sentient species have been driven existenceby them and so far only the Alliance has given them any real problem.

Hulrm are Grey-skinned diminutive humanoid beings that possess reduced forms of, or completely lack, external human organs such as noses, ears or sex organs. Their bodies are elongated having a small chest, and lacking in muscular definition and visible skeletal structure. Their legs are shorter and jointed differently than one would expect in a human.

Hulrm have unusually large heads in proportion to their bodies. They have no hair anywhere on the body, including the face, and no noticeable ears or noses, but only small openings or orifices for ears and nostrils. They are have very small mouths, and very large, opaque black eyes with no discernible iris or pupil.

In the council year 1900 BCE the Hulrm were at the tipping point of there extinction. There home world, Renmok, was approaching the point of no return due to a mix of over population, falling species diversity, a drop in the oxygen content due to a lack of large flora, global warming, rising sea levels, indiscriminate atomic war and a highly aggressive population that was warring over what was left.

At this point the Masair arrived and helped the Hulrm. in a 13 year period the planet recovered due to the power of the Masair technology, the planets environment was stabilized and they helped the Hulrm finally unite into one nation and began to colonize other planets in there solar system and still the Masair did not share all there technology with the Hulrm, instead keeping most of there technology for them selves and gave only basic technology, such as ezzo to the Hulrm.

At this point the Hulrm turned on the Masair deciding to take what they would not be given. Unseeing some technology from the Masair and there only proficiency for radiation weapons they attacked. the main Masair fleet over the planet was destroyed in a massive surprise attack of atomic missiles and ground installations were over whelmed in massive assaults by prototype walkers and ground troops. The Masair were caught off guard and all but one of the city ships in orbit were destroyed the last one escaped though the Hierarchy did not know this.

In the after math of the war in heaven as they called it, the Hierarchy began to examine all the wreckage of the fight and it is believed that there plasma weapon came from examples of Masair light and dark mode energy weapons powered by radiation rather then light and dark thoughts. They then began to expand.

Information about the early period of Hierarchy expansion is unclear but several guesses have been made. It is likely they first contact with a alien race went poorly and helped instil the policy of driving extinction ever species they met.

A common question is why the Hierarchy did not contact the council races in either war or peace. the most likely theory is that they discovered the council races either during, or after either the Krogen rebellions or the Rachni wars, mostly likely between the two when the galaxy was in a highly militarized state and a war between the two super powers would be a highly risky endeavor. It is also believed that the Hierarchy was preparing for war with them when they rediscovered the Alliance as most of there forces were unprepared for the war and positioned else were.


	15. War The thrice

**_new chapter! at long last! the winter of are discontent is over! _**

**_Responce to Alichi: Sorry about the codex, the entry was typed seperately from the main part which i do on word for spell check, fixed up should be fine now._**

**_edited by halo token._**

**_BOLD leaning type: te_****_xt messages._**

_Leaning_:thoughts plus song.

**/Bold with slashs/**_**:non sentint AI Thoughts and or speach**_

* * *

><p>"The bunker was dug almost three feet under ground, to call it a fort was a insult, it was a fortress in bunker forged with the speed only nanotechnology allowed.<p>

The building was filled with a low deep brass rumble as the entire outer shell that was above ground was studded with large caliber howitzers. When each buffer shell was empty the gun sank down into the massive fire pit around it and a crew loaded a new buffer into place and hydraulic cylinder lifted the gun back into firing position.

They were often called fire, and please forget where I am, guns.

Frank stood on the edge of one of the gun pits his rifle blasting the occasional burst to keep the heat down for when he really need to fire. The roar of the gun behind him dulled to a dull hum in his armor. The hiss of a air pressure door was not even noticeable.

After a good five hours recovering psychologically form the battle Aliner was back on the front, though she had decided, she serve the tour of duty then get the hell back to council space. Humanity was insane!

She walked up the stair case the over head door opening before she got there and she exited the sealed bunker into the open air artillery pit.

A green plasma blast arched over head and smashed down out of view. Her eyes tracking the green glow till they fell out of the sight a few dim green flashes singled there impact.

She sighed humans may be used to this shit, she was not.

She trudged over the fire entrenchment and stood on a fire pulpit beside Frank and just started to watch for any action, her pistol no good over the range.

She sighed and tapped the marine next to her on the shoulder, he happened to be Frank.

"are all your battles like this?"

"some times there willing to use orbital attacks, the underground phase troops are new though, must be learning from the Turians normally only lost one use those things."

"lovely." she sighed back. The sky glowed green as blasts of plasma arched over head and impacted near by throwing shards of semi molten glass up as it heated the dirt up so fast it turned to glass.

"do you ever get used to it?"

"What couldn't hear you, I doing my taxes." Frank said with a chuckle "Yes we do." He added at her death glare, you could tell she was doing one even though a polarized visor.

"Kind of helps, its been said that the whole human race suffers from PTSD and were so incredibly desensitized to violence, I mean I learned bayonet drill in high school PE and how to calculate the arch of a artillery shell in math."

"I,,I can't imagine coming from that kind of culture." Aliner said with a head shake.

"Tell me about it you have no idea how fucking lucky you guys in the first Libertà have it, we could have easily become the monster we fight. Then you would be screwed."

"all units the second line is falling back, prepare to repel invaders."

"Lock and load!" Frank said and clicked a few buttons on his arm activating shredder protocol to help rip the Grunts apart.

Aliner sighed and did the same extending her blade and stepping back a couple paces away from the trench wall so if another grunt emerged she would not have its guns within her shield envelope.

A roar came from a tide of bobbing heads as the Grunt charged foreword into death.

SHIFT

The STG team knew leaving the planet in the middle of a invasion was not possible so they had set up a mobile field base as far as they could from the fighting in this case a small dip between two heavily forested hills unless you knew what you were looking for it was easy to miss.

But not impossible so they were on a bit of a time limit.

"You big eyed, hat racked headed, motor mouthed amphibians shall get nothing past my lips!" and the Masari Hersin was not cooperating all they had gotten from her for two days was a name, her position, Sky Lord, and insults. Almon was getting annoyed.

He sighed behind the two way mirror. As two trained integrators tried to get a inch out of her.

The door behind him opened and he turned and was surprised to find Mordin walking up behind him his head wrapped in bandages.

"Mordin? What are you doing up?"

"am fine, bit high on pain killers, have to stop work every couple of minutes to make the room stop spinning, other wise? Fine."

"You cloaca you." Almon said with a chuckle and he lightly punched Mordin shoulder only to almost bow him over he was so strung up on pain killers. He rapidly helped him recover.

"You should be lieing down Mordin."

"To much to do." Mordin said "any break though?"

"No." Almon sighed "she stubborn, and I'm honestly scared of getting hunted down like rabid Vorcha if we lay a finger on her, STG witness protection, or not."

Mordin nodded "Alliance stubborn, violent and vindictive, like Krogen, but have will, drive and intelligence to act on those impulses." Mordin sighed "I sense a hard life ahead."

"Indeed." Almon sighed. "so what are you doing here?"

"Thought you might have had problems, elite warriors are not normally talkative have idea. I saw her fight." he frowned and his mind went back to the fight. "She is a warrior, much like the Krogen, who loves to fight she might respect me since I went as close to 'hold the line' as we did.

"That may work." Almon said and he tapped his omni tool and gave him access."

"let me know when your ready."

"Now good." Mordin said putting a firm look on his face.

Hersin laughed as Mordin entered the room. "So a new frog stand before me, tell me have you washed the blood out of you armor yet?"

"yes." Mordin was cold and the two glared at each other till Hersin gave a cold half smile. "You have a spark, any thing you want to ask these toads could not?"

"yes, one question, the question. Who are you?"

"Hersin thought we went over that, don't tell me you memory as bad as your looks?

"Not that, you are Masari?" when she nodded he then asked very bluntly "are you the Prothens?""

Hersin "who?" hersin asked

"The Prothens! The ones who came before, Enkindlers, pick you term, there empire stretched the stars before fading away form some unknown reason. The ones who built the mass relays and the Citadel." the room as so silent you could hear a pin drop.

Hersin was as serious as sin. "we did not make them, we inherited them as well from Trestilen."

"So your,," Mordin was suddenly struck by the revelation that his entire civilization, his culture, was built on the grave of the Prothens, a gave they had just crawled out of, wanting there piece of the civilization that had built on there tombs.

"yes you toad, we are the Prothens, we walked the stars before you had spines. While you colorized the land, we found the Catapults, the relays, and the Ring, a massive construct the size of a moon, what you call the Citadel."

Hersin gave a evil smirk at the Salarian discomfort.

laughed "Let me tell you this, we are gods, we have seen the rise of life into that which was bare, we survived the Trestilen as they scoured the galaxy, we made mankind into what they are now, you are nothing but a animal to be exterminated, or domesticated."

"now, would you kindly end this war, before we end you." Her voice held no emotion, just a promise that they would destroy anything in there path, and the under tone, that they had done it before and would do it again.

Mordin matched the glare, and some how knew he was not going to get anything else and turned to leave, he had a report to write.

SHIFT

The second line of trenches fell and the Grunts pounded forward roaring and screaming above them walked the spindly forms of the defilers spraying radiation ahead of them in a tide of poison and death.

Ahead of them was a thin line of tanks.

Two armor platoon of 4 tanks each stood in there way, supported by a platoon of Mako's consisting of four transports and 28 marines in full armor with integrated heavy weapons.

Each 'defense brigade' was one of 50 that stretched the whole defensive line and though each island of force was small they were strong.

The vehicles were dug in to hull down position in between the two defensive lines, the new killing ground, while the second line defenders streamed by them to the third line they had to hold the Hierarchy off so they weren't cut down in the open.

Each brigade Paladin tanks were armed with twin 80mm auto cannons and each Makko had a single 80mm cannon. The Paladins had coaxial RR-32 machine guns and pintle mounted RF-GL99. There coaxial RR-32 were older guns then the 88 the 32 were bigger, more finicky, fragile, had heating issues, and fired a 30% bigger shell making it ideal for mounting on a vehicle were these problems meant nothing. The Makkos were armed with FW-2 coaxials.

As soon as the grunts were in range they opened fire as shell and rockets roared over head to pound into the grunts punishing them for transgressing. Still they came.

Well that why the tanks were there.

Thundering the guns soon roared blue flames as the mass effect cannon sent rounds down range at the metronome rate of a shell every other second. The Makko's joined in and the infantry threw there weight into the fight there small arms, or rather smaller arms, scoured the field shooting the legs out of grunts tripping them, and slowing the whole front down as they tripped over the fallen.

From between the ranks Lost ones emerged working though the fire due to there phase technology as they approached the tanks and infantry, if they closed they would destroy them with plasma bombs and there own body's.

The Makko's FW-2 opened up.

Patented by a German company the Flammenwerfer-2 flame throwers roared to life.

The flames washed over the phased beings, and though the flaming oil phased through them, the heat from the oil burned them alive and man personal flamethrowers soon roared to life the smoke washing the field in its killing embrace of burning flesh and the particular odor that occurred when flames met radioactive chemicals.

The fire washed forward as the tanks main guns layed a barrage of high explosive and incendiary rounds. The blue flash of guns dueled with the green flash of plasma scarred by the red glare of hungry fire.

At last they fell back.

The tanks ready made nano disassembler took the dirt apart behind them turning it into a atomic soup of individual atoms the tanks rolled out of the earthen ramparts, still shooting as infantry boarded there Makkos.

At the last possible moment, seconds before they were over run with grunts and lost ones, the tanks popped smoke and fell back.

Aliner deactivated her helmet zoom "why did they stop attacking?" she noted how the Grunts seemed to be milling out side the smoke cloud not wanting to advance any further till it faded, leaving them wide open to artillery falling on them. The lost ones were worse just about running from it.

"Are smoke canisters use Phosphorus so that cloud will burn them alive if they try to enter." Frank replied staring down at the grunts as more shell landed throwing high explosive and fuel air shells into the grunts who were trapped, burn alive by advancing? Die in the middle ground? Or fall back to relative safety of the walkers?

Eventually they got there act together and pushed though the burning cloud of smoke when the first fire scared grunts emerged from the cloud the Alliance defensive emplacements opened up.

Tracers lanced out and grunts fell like a wave crashing upon the ground as each explosion forced the grunts down. Walkers opened there long range guns bombarding the defensive positions hoping to bring men down. Soon Aliner was confronting the wave of grunts.

Her pistols began to blare, along with the whole fire line of marines, into the incoming grunts as machines gun blared the heavy roar of rapid fire.

As the incoming lost ones and grunt with phase technology made there way though the field of solid shells flamethrowers opened up the flames scorching the ground in a rolling wall of flame that filled the air with the reek of burning flesh.

Suddenly she, felt, something, enter her chest and she jumped back in surprise.

A Grunt phased though the trench wall, she had felt its hand, around her other marines noticed them as well as the cry's of shock, and more alarming, the slacking of fire.

Remembering the phase tank she pulled her arm back and fired a warp at the nearest grunt, again upsetting the delicate machine that tore time and space apart just enough so the user was intangible, but not unable to breath.

The grunt popped out of reality and she focused on the other grunts blue twist of gravity dispatching them one by one and buying enough time for flamethrowers to be brought up and started to scorch them out of existence.

Of course a running grunt can travel a long way in a few seconds and the front row had began to fire there plasma shot guns the air turning green as the radioactive projectiles buzzed over the fire pit keeping heads down. The few marines who tried to emerge to fire back were forced back by the wave of plasma fire, or died to impacts to there head.

As the wave of grunts began to crest the wall of the trenches they met a wall of gun fire, and the howitzer.

With a thought a new program filled the gun circuits turning the shells in the buffer, into canister rounds.

Blaring like the worlds largest shot gun, which it was, the cannon roared over ten thousand three inch ball at mach 12.

The gun roar again, and again, each blast ripping the hoard of grunts apart as giant cone shaped holes were forming the the whole cloth of that army.

The normal tactic as the howitzer would force them back far enough so the marines could remain there positions. The Hierarchy had some new weapons.

From behind the gun a Grunt commando with a phase drive emerged behind the gun, and the while every one was watching, and making the fire storm he lobbed a plasma satchel bomb into place. A artillery men saw it spun to see the chuckling grunt, then the bomb exploded.

The explosion rocked the gun and it fell off its mounting and humans spun around to see what was going on only for the incoming Hierarchy to drive there attention back to them.

The surface was not the only ones losing. The base tunnels were filled with Grunt that had phased phasing though the earth and were attacking the base, even well over half of them had miss timed there phase and had died as dirt filled there body cavitys.

That said the Alliance was holding as long they kept they could fight them. Far more then once the grunts reactivated there phase and went though the earth to strike them on there flanks.

Back on the surface Aliner blazed Hollywood style with both pistols on full auto at once, each shot a impact she had long since lost cont of how many she had killed.

Locking her pistols to her hips she had finally had enough and summoned up her biotic powers.

The MK1 Fury armor was based on the frame of the vengeance, Vengeance Armor and had less armor in return for almost 24 pounds of element zero. earlier she had boasted that it was one big biotic amp. She was not far from the truth.

Arms glowing in blue lighting she cast three singularity in rapid secession, and was not even winded, her mind merely the stimulant to the zero in the armor.

The black holes in miniature flew fast and impacted the ground levitating loose dirt and grunts in a malastorm of body's and dirt clods.

Every other marine in the platoon was surprised and for a half second they all stopped shooting, then for a another 59 seconds of that minute they unleashed hell. Gun practicably on full auto they blazed into the floating grunts who were sent flying with a mass throw.

A quick throw that sent grunts flying and the got the breathing room to move back to there emplacements instead of fighting in a howitzer pit with no cover they got back to there firing positions and machine guns destroyed when the hierarchy got to them were replaced then locked into position and the firing began again.

The Grunts were beaten back, with fire and fire power.

SHIFT

Air power rests at the apex of the first triad of victory, for it combines Mobility, Flexibility,and Initiative.

Until now the Alliance fighter bombers and level bombers had not been available due to not being on planet. The earlier Dervish's were built as air superiority fighters and precision bombers, not heavy bombers.

Now the bombers were here.

The quantum waveforms had collapse enough after the portals destruction to allow a 100 atom transfer. Enough to start flowing. Unfortunately Masari tradition forbid flowing the ruling monarchs due to a belief it killed the original and created a new copy, though it was too useful for troops to not use it even if it made them uncomfortable. Still the air power was inbound.

Though the Capital, formerly Jenrel, now Libertà prime was the biggest city and the most important. A second city taken in the assault, Libertà Beta was if anything more important for what it lacked in size it had a space port, rapidly reconfigured with nanotechnology into a air field. Combat planes would refuel and rearm.

All around the air base flow towers flashed and bombers arrived in a flash of light as they reformed form nano particles. When the last of the B-90 Condor flight group A had arrived along with there escorts they began to take off.

Ground crew rushing around as the first bomber as the B-90 Condor lifted sky ward. It massive VTOL engines tilted back and roared.

By Council standards odd the Condor combined mass effect technology for VTOl and the ability to carry almost five tons of buffer space for bombs, with a advance, but still some what archaic, Pulse Detonating Engine. Often inaccurately called, a Pusle Jet.

Roaring the jets pushed the massive bulk of the bomber sky ward as plumes of hot air, reeking of jet fuel, roared around the air field buffeting crew and lighter planes having to invert there mass effect cores making them heaver to keep them form moving.

Six bombers lifted skyward and there wings unfolded swinging out and unfolding as the jets tilted back ward and they soon roared forward thank to there mass effect inertia dampeners they rapidly hit Mach 12, there minimum ordinance deployment speed. To fast for Hierarchy anti air power, and fast enough to for the effective deployment of anti walker iron bombs.

Which were basically laser guided anvils falling at the 12 times the speed of sound.

Shortly behind the bombers, almost sighing at the sheer bulk and ungainly appearance, were Masari Banshee fighter bombers. Marines called them, fighter obliterators.

With far more grace they lifted with a hiss of air form there light thrusters, shifted to level flight and roared forward, or rather hissed, the only sound they made was the sonic boom of there passing.

The Condors soon accelerated even faster. there Pulse jets deactivating and there Scram jets activated and they pushed to even higher speeds.

In 2004 the NASA X-43 was the first plane to fly with a scram jet, it was also the fastest plane of its time able to fly at mach 9.68. Condors were more then twice as fast and had a much higher turn rate thanks to element zero.

The Condors soon went to mach 24, almost orbital velocity. They could go faster if they were to push themselves. The mass effect fields meant they were almost weightless and shields keeping the worst of the airflow from ripping there wings off, (which in truth were more like engine struts. There only purpose was to hold the engines the engines, fuel and despite there shape having no aerodynamic lift at all. They also assisted with steering.) but they were plenty fast enough.

The Banshees kept up easily enough. Compared to the sound of the titans they were ghosts, spirits of death.

SHIFT

Aliner threw a, well throw, that sent a whole front of grunts bowling backward into those behind them. She had long since abandoned her pistols she had been drilled to never let go of.

At this point she was not even winded even if more then a few snipers had tried to take her out only to have there plasma rifles fizzle out upon impact with shield and armor.

Again she was impressed by how much easier her biotic were in the armor given that it was built and designed with no field experience.

In truth it just made her biotics more powerful in the blunt force way making a sledge hammer heaver makes it more dangerous. No finesse, but there was a finesse to enough of lack of it.

The most the Fury armor could do was throw, pull, and do relatively anemic warps compared to the potential. More complicated techniques were beyond it, for now.

The Alliance due to near instant manufacturing ability and Yobibytes (one Yobibyte is equal to 1,099,511,627,776 terabytes) of sentient processing power had a very high turn over rate for new technology and prototyping.

In only 100 years they went from chemical propelled bolt action rifles, to power armor that could almost shrug off a blast of a 21 century M1 Abrums.

Her HUD lit up bright and information flooded her eye piece, information she was rapidly starting to understand the sheer flow of information. It was a acquired skill to those with out AI's, though right now it was as obvious as a freight train.

It was showing the whole area for almost miles ahead of her in a glowing red that coated the like skin. In training that over lap meant incoming fire support, some times it lazed a building set to demolition, others a area for artillery bombardment, occasional it meant a place that was going to get swept with a hell of a lot of machine gun fire.

This though was different, she had never seen such a coating. It started just about 90 meters in front of there trench and then it was a solid plane of light, and a count down was going down in the corner of her vision.

Miles away, both up and away, the bombers approached. Silent as death, until the sound wave from there hyper sonic movement met you.

Three miles away the Condors bomb bays slid open and buffers locked into position ready to drop bombs. At 2.5 the bombing began.

Still over the city the bombs were materialized into existence from the buffers and the large, almost needle like 500 pound bombs dropped from the bay at a rate of almost a bomb a second.

The bombs sheer forward moment form going 24 times the speed of sound meant that for a few minutes they seemed to keep place with the plane. There arch brought them down in a trajectory that would coat the whole of the target area with a pressure wave well over10 pounds per square inch.

Minimally.

Any thing standing, siting, knelling, or in a vaguely upright position would be obliterated.

Not even counting the Banshees.

From under wing hard points cluster light bombs were made from in built matter engines, they then slowly, gracefully fell away from the wings and arched down as well.

Almost a mile away from there target zone they broke apart and cluster munitions spread over a four hundred square area, and then split again.

This time each bomb-let exploded into a light bomb the same as what was fired from a conqueror main gun. Times 200,000.

All Aliner knew was one minute she was doing a throw when a hand tried to grab her shoulder, she shrugged it off, then the world exploded.

A shock wave of light, flame, smoke, ash, dust and a chunky salsa that could once have been called the enemy blew toward her. The armor meant it was nonlethal, non harming in fact, non disorienting? It was not.

She was blown back a good and crashed five feet from her where she stood. The armor meant she was only light bruised in places and she stood up only for a incredible explosion to rattle her armor and almost drive her deaf within the helmet.

It wasn't the bombs, they had gone off 24 seconds earlier, it was the sonic bomb from a flight of six 260,000 pounds B-90 Condor and 6 lighter Banshee fighters going just as fast at almost 3,000 feet. The high speed, and low altitude meant it was almost impossible for Gravity manipulators to bring them down.

The sonic boom was not the herald of destruction. It was the after image, the howl of lamentation of the destruction that had torn the world asunder and sent thousands to the after life. That howl had once inspired the ancient people Ireland to name a spirit that did the same, the Banshee.

The bombs fell like a rainstorm, and the explosions were there thunder. The last bombs out of the bay were heavy Iron bombs. The massive chunks of iron were the armor piercing to the bombs frag.

Upon impact with the walkers they ripped though them with the scream of distressed metal staggering them like punch drunk fighters and leaving holes the size of minivans in them. A few got lucky and hit something vital and they fell and exploded spraying radiation around.

For the others the bombs, though making holes, did little real damage, like shooting a man with armor piercing bullets they go though and inflect little damage save with what they pass though.

The walkers staggered as they moved forward only for artillery to take advantage.

In recent time the Hierarchy had developed there own plasma based C-RAM and used it as a walker crown hard point. Now the gun were raining shells fast on them now that there was no tide of grunts draw shells away from them the high explosive, to put a shell that blows up like a matter engine merely a 'high' explosive.

Aliner staggered her self, she felt like she had just survived the end of the world. A hand pulled her upright.

"did we win?" she said almost slurred. "sort of." the marine said. "The walkers are gating in more troops as we speak, only there doing it in range of are guns. So we take the walkers out."

Suddenly a gun bellowed nearby, a heavy anti walker 120mm auto cannon, tanks were moving up.

Aliner, now standing, followed a Mako with her eyes as is it rolled around there embraceable gun blazing a platoon of tanks, maybe the same one from earlier, pressing the assault.

"So what do we do now?" she asked.

"we do nothing. It there show now." Frank gestured to the troops moving with the tanks. "we just fought off, god and his saints knows how many grunts. Are jobs done. Now we take a break and be ready, if they do something wrong we will be pressed again." He stoked his rifle. "And were give them another taste."

Aliner sighed and slumped down into a the trench. A squeak form behind her ear drew her attention. It was a lost one, not quite fully aware of the fact that you never, in a million years got this close to a lost one.

She lowered her pistol and was about to fire when it jumped at her, and disappeared. She spun around to find it, only to not see it. She spun slowly in a circle, slowly aware of the fact her chest was, itching, that was the only word for it.

"Whats up Shiny?" Frank said as he watched Aliner look around.

"I, don't know, I saw a lost one, it jumped, now its gone." the Marines were knew what that meant.

"I got her!" Frank grabbed her shoulder and marched her to a flow tower as both the marines wished them luck and he explained what had happened.

"The Lost one engaged its phase field, now it is inside of you."

"WHAT!" she yelled as a chuckling from her own chest reached her ears.

"when the Phase field times out it will destroy any organ its body touches as the two planes of matter overlap. It will die, but so will you." They still moved to the flow tower forced by the Heavy marine

"GET IT OUT!" Frank winced.

"We can't." just then the flow tower activated, controlled by a internal AI and they were dematerialized into there component atoms, shoved into a controlled mass effect conduit that much like a relay did not care for intervening objects, only distance.

In this case the tower was programmed to take them down t though almost 120 feet of dirt to the hospital wing of the bunker, the same one where Aliner had been pulled off the line due to psychological trauma.

Though Aliner did not know it, her armor was screaming a code Lo-01, to those who eye pieces were set to display armor condition codes, it meant a Lost one was in within the armor.

Aliner armor had told her what was wrong, but there were over 100 armor codes so she could be forgiven for not knowing them all.

Less then a second after being reassembled, her heart skipping a beat, as her brain waves sparked oddly after being put back to life atom by atom, a beam struck her armor and it taken apart atom by atom as well, but it was stored in a buffer rather then flowing away.

A doctor, not in power armor he needed the dexterity, unkindly, no time for anything else, and guided, then slammed her into a operating table.

Aliner heart beat went even higher, if that was even possible, as a metallic cage, studded with robotic arms each tipped with ceramic knife.

"Wh,wh,what happens now?" Aliner said her breathing grew faster as the Doctor locked metal bars over her wrists and ankles.

"We give you nightmares," he muttered before he gave a real answer. "we can't do anything about the lost one, its going to go real soon, and you will lose most of your organs." he locked a metal bar around Aliner forehead locking her to the table.

"So, I'm going to die?"

"no, but you may wish you had." suddenly the Lost one went real.

There were not strong enough words in the English, or Asair for the pain that occurred as it went real, destroying anything its matter over lapped with, killing, tissue instantly.

The closest word that could be found in any species language was the Krogan loan word Ythen-cus. Which meant, I no long exist in Salarian.

In less then a second, her lung, most of her stomach, most of the ribs on the left side of her body, about 12 feet of intestinal track, parts of her spine, a liver analog, her heart and key Arteries in her shoulder that meant the whole arm lost blood flow, and in the world of Triage that meant the whole arm would go.

As her body went into shock Aliner eyes rolled up in her head and she felt her self trying to breath, but not nothing worked, it was like her body was broken, unable to work.

The AI in charge of this bunker complex, Artman, went to work.

A pair of drills bored into the sides of Aliner skill and after a few seconds two, three inch plugs of bone were removed, and a recently synthesized Asair blood substitute flowed into her brain gifting it with oxygen and sedatives.

Unfortunately they need her awake for this, when the procedure was done they need her brain awake so they could see if the spinal replacement worked, and the spine was at a mid point of the operation.

So even though her body was being locally flooded by anesthetic, she felt knifes slice into flesh, the tugging as muscle, skin then bone. parted under the some of the sharpest knifes there were.

As soon as they were in the robot knifes, with the doctor only watching, soon a ruined mounds of flesh there were once organs, the vital subsystems of the body, were removed. All the organs tinted the dirty gray of the now dead lost one, all slightly radioactive as the chemicals that made a lost one, a lost one, bleed into her body.

In fact it was lucky her heart had been taken out, with out a blood flow the chemicals had not fully permeated her body, the nanobots would have much less work.

First, the five arms inject nanobot solutions all over her body, but they needed a heart to move them, so a pump was put into place and, literally, bio-stapled into place. The semi living staples bolting the machine to the flesh of the main artery's.

The pump hummed to life, and blood spurted from every slice the knifes had made, in less then a minute she bled out her natural blood leaving a nanobot solution behind.

A iron lung was next placed, though named after the old medical instrument, the Iron lung was complex nano processor that could add oxygen to blood like a real lung, and filter nitrogen out of it, so effectively you could not get the bends from diving or if you were exposed to the vacuum of space.

A knife sliced the effected tissue of the stomach out and a bio-patch was added, the effected intestines were removed, and just stitched back together.

The spine was more complex. Nanobots disassembled the spinal cored for about a inch above and below the break then replaced the nerves with superconductive pure silver, the most conductive metal know to man, so conductive it could pass even the faint electrical charge from the nervous system from one neuron to the next.

Upon confirmation that her spine had been reconnected, only they was the sedative dose raised and her mind was not just knocked unconscious, it practically killed her, turning her automatic systems, the ones that ran the digestive track, and told her to breath, off.

The robot arms continued there work, only occasional checked by a human, doing that which would have been impossible, raising the dead.

It was called a Lazarus machine for a reason.

Codex Alliance-Hierarchy war.

Marked by battles as big as wars the Alliance Hierarchy war, often just call The War by humans has shaped human culture, technology, psyche, economy and government.

Ever since the Earth Assault humanity has expanded under the constant shadow that the full might of the Hierarchy would fall upon them.

For a while humanity was in peace, making the choice to expand away from the Hierarchy, though recoiling away might have been a better word.

When the Hierarchy first re-encountered them they did not know what they were dealing with. They saw a small star empire they fought all the time, and The War began.

The two factions, one great empire, one small nation, the Hierarchy was taken by surprise and in the early years they did not know what they were dealing with and invaded Shanxi. Rather then just take it, humanity attacked. At first it was just Novus Robots so the Hierarchy did not link the two.

In moments planets were destroyed as humanity did the now long established tactic, force the Hierarchy into city's and bases, give them a chance to surrender, none ever did, then hit them with a WMD.

These shocked the hierarchy and before they could recover strikes on key deployment and industry planets forced any invasion plan back 40 years.

Small scale strikes were the norm for the next 30 years of war as the Hierarchy got there feet under them and the Alliance got there feed under them. On years 31 the first major invasion struck Shanxi, to be beaten back quickly by a single Gray mass bomb targeting the force in the country side.

Suddenly the Hierarchy had a clue that something was up, that all was not well, still they moved on and other invasion tried the same until it was tried to land close to the city to keep the WMD from being used.

At this point humanity had not invented mass effect rail guns and they used bolt action rifle, admittedly with monomolcular tipped rounds so they were quite effective, but the image of primitives, not only holding, but winning threw the Hierarchy another clue something was wrong.

Still they did not get it and did not throw all there resources into the war. For a while the Hierarchy only put a small portion of there forces into the fight. Year 60 had humanity deploy there first armor system and they used it.

For the first time humanity fought on a enemy planet. After quantum gated to the planet they built hidden ground based missiles, black hole bombs, and gray mass launchers were built, and used them.

In a manner, uncomfortable similar to how the Hierarchy used the Purifier, they swept the planet clear of major Hierarchy positions, and when counter attacked the shock of the heavy power armored troops with new, large weapons, throw the Hierarchy into chaos and the Alliance won the battle, a image repeated many times, over, some times a planet was destroyed in a 24 period.

When captured armors were dissected the Hierarchy finally knew what they were up against when they found the matter engine with in the armor.

This was not one start nation, it was believed the Hierarchy thought all the Humans were the Masair not a few guiding the many, it is unsure how much of this image still persists in the Hierarchy.

Now the Hierarchy went to full war and tried to bring it full weight on the upstarts, only for every fleet to go to this front get ambushed by fast stealthy ships and thousands died in the hard vacuum. AI wreaked havoc in cyber war that threw the Hierarchy into choas, and worst of all, Orlok reemerged.

Orlok was a respected general and generarly considered to be a wise individual by Hierarchy standards. So on the first battle Orlok public took part off he declared him self, called down the overlords and proclamed that now was the time of the Grunt, the Brute, and started a civl war in the Hierarchy forces. Both sides hated the Masiar so both armys had to be destroyed despite requests for surrender they.

Orlok presience has turned this issue into a problem. If public word got out they could have a rebellion, Orlok was just so popular, this is the Alliance plan.

They can't win in the long term. The Hierarchy is just too big and if they ever got enough force focused on them the Allaince would kill billions, but would fall. The solution is to incit desent in there enemey, demorlized the avarage citzens, then have AI start moblizeing protests, which would be put down, and when it at a critcal point, destroy the Hierarchy leadership.

The Hierarchy would splinter and they put Orlok in charge of a ring of worlds between the Hierarchy proper and the Alliance. This is the Alliance grand plan.


	16. Final assult

**_new chapter in the next one we get in to the peace talks, politicking, ya._**

**_edited by halo token._**

**_BOLD leaning type: te_****_xt messages._**

_Leaning_:thoughts plus song.

**/Bold with slashs/**_**:non sentint AI Thoughts and or speach**_

* * *

><p>"Now, would you kindly end this war, before we end you?" The last words of Hersin interrogation rang through the council chambers Mordin hologram looked up from his omnitool.<p>

"I don't know if what Hersin said was true or not, but given what we know about their technology and the sheer similarity between their metal her armour was made of and samples from Prothean ruins. Also have not done genetics comparison yet but DNA has basic quad strand and proper number of chromosomes. Conclusion, undeniable."

The Councillors looked each other, one army had been destroyed, and now they drop this bombshell.

"Thank you Mordin your dismissed." Tevos said and the hologram turned off. She sighed nervously, "I think it best if we made peace with them, before it's too late, NOT ONE WORD!" She bellowed at Valern who was about to make a comment disparaging the idea.

"I agree." Shrenda said peace keeping between the two "We made a mistake, an instinctive action and now we have to hope the Alliance won't take it too hard."

SHIFT

Again the Alliance met to discuss the war. The only difference was Admiral Anderson was present rather than Hackett.

Queen Altheas' hologram was out and only audio remained due to the state of war, though that was clearing up it would still take a fleet to fully disengage the Hierarchy. Said fleet would be there from Shanxi within the hour.

"Is this part of a general Hierarchy push or a target of opportunity?" Rachel asked

"Target, a general assault may be up and coming but not any time soon, however Jun discovered something."A hologram lit up showing the galaxy. "Records from council star maps show's something interesting. They not only straddle Hierarchy space, but the area most likely to contain a planet close enough to jump to, is Geth space on the edge of their maps."

"And?" Charos asked, you could tell by his tone that he was irked by not being able to protect and champion Altea.

"The Geth are a race of pure machines shunned by galactic society. If anyone can make contact with them, we can, and it gets better." Anderson was smiling "There's a large gap, and by large I mean 80 light year gap between the Geth and the hierarchy, but for that we end up in their rear territories." He was smug.

"Incredible, we never saw the fridge as anything more than an impediment to are progress." Orlok monotoned "To few discharge points, to much space if we can manage a flank attack we could throw the entire Hierarchy into chaos. It will be the political and actual death of an entire Family that has lasted for over 400 years!"

A Hierarchy 'Family' was a combination of a political party, mafia, a feudal duchy, and an actual family, linked by pledges of aid, oaths of fealty, fear, assassins, illusions of power, actual power, political power, official power, personal force, official force, rank, rumour, personality and favour from the overseers.

To a human it was shocking that it worked, to a Masari, it was an impressive feat to hold so many frequently un-unified powers together.

"Well, that's one more reason this war with the council can't go on." Altea said her voice thick with static.

"Another is that to even get there we'd have to cut through Asari space, we need peace if we're to do this, at least on one front."

"Have the council made a move yet?"

"Considering Libertà's a warzone no." Mirabel said. "But I won't worry, I have a feeling seeing the Hierarchy will knock some sense into them." She smiled.

"Still I could gate with Victor on to a Turian planet with a platoon of marines, like to see them dismiss that claim." She gave an even bigger, slightly evil, smile.

"Let's save that option for later, it'd be nice to let them know we have a stick to beat them with if they don't comply, but let's be peaceable at first." Rachel said. "I'll task DEW (department of electronic warfare) to contact the council, their networks should have anaemic defences compared to what an AI can do. They'll make contact then we'll negotiate a way to get a physical diplomat in place."

Rachel almost started at a realization "There are no human diplomats." She said suddenly. It was true, when your only ally is so tightly bound to you diplomatically was just being nice, and the only other being you interact with wants your complete annihilation you get good soldiers, not a state department.

Anderson shrugged "We'll have to find a politician or something to put in place, they're always compromising. In the mean time we send Qetzen the diplomat we sent the first time." Rachel nodded.

"Do we have a backup plan?" Charos said.

"Does beat the crap out of them count as a plan?"

Mirabel said and the cheeky look on her face faded as Charos glared at her, "Course we have a plan. Gate a Constructor onto the planet, build a base, gate more troops then either assault with the troops, or WMD them."

SHIFT

Aliner awoke slowly, the soft mattress, so unlike the iron operating table. She tried to force herself to a sitting position but her shoulder was bolted to the table. Opening her eyes she looked around to see what was wrong with her shoulder, only to have her view obstructed by a curtain.

"Aliner glad to see your alive!" She turned her head and saw Joanus holographic terminal. "I thought for sure we almost killed you for a few moments but you pulled through!"

"You kill me?" She said surprised by that.

"We had to give enough sedative's to turn your brain off when we installed the augments. No problem, if you were human, restarting it was touch and go but we did it."

"Augments?" Aliner felt out of her depth.

"Um, how to put this." Joanus said tapping her chin. "You don't have a heart first of all, it's a pump." Aliner grabbed her neck to feel a pulse, only for a slight vibration to meet her inquisitive fingers.

"It gets, worse?" Joanus said with a shrug and then doctor Preston arrived.

"Glad to see your awake." He smiled and tapped a few buttons on his tablet, "Ok, I don't know how to explain this in a way that's compatible with Asari psychology so I'll just play this by ear."

", Ok." Aliner said.

"What was your last memory?"

"A cold operating table."

"Good you lost that memory, why they were running that old operating system is beyond me."

"What?" Aliner said confused.

"He means they did most of the operation while you were awake, the old operating system needs to read the brain waves to see if the spinal cord replacement took, more on that later, modern systems knock you out just enough to read if the implant worked before they knock you out."

She shivered "Glad I don't remember."

"I'll say your brain waves were through the roof." Joanus said and Preston sighed and chose his next words carefully.

"Ok, first the big one. You lost your arm." Aliner's face paled and she looked at her right hand. So that meant her left. She glared at the curtain.

"We placed a mechanical replacement there and are, well growing skin over it." Aliner was shocked, they could do that?

"So why am I bolted down?" She asked nervously.

"In order to grow skin, live skin with all the right nerves, you need to have the body grow the skin over it. If we moved that curtain you would see your shoulder sticking into a glass tank, glass so we can check on the progress, with a nutrition solution in it to help it grow. Very creepy, all live skin, steel, and artificial muscles, your not missing anything."

Aliner stared at the curtain and tried to move her fingers. "Don't do that." Preston said "Movement upsets the growth." He reached behind the curtain and flipped a switch turning the arm off. "Better." He then made eye contact with her.

"Remember what put you here?"

"A Lost One." She nodded.

"A Lost One is a criminal given a gun and pointed in the right direction. Form what we know the phase field is actually lethal to them. A relatively new element to their training is suicide attacking the goal is for scum to kill elites with ease, one time we lost a whole regiment in five days as we had no clue what was going on. Now as long as the marine is in range of a flow field we can get them to a field hospital and patch them up, as we did you."

He leaned back and looked at his tablet. "Problem is you tend to lose a lot of organs. You got lucky, only lost everything on the left side of your body." He then crossed his arms as Aliner tried to piece that together.

"What?" The concept was just alien to her.

"I have to spell it out don't I?" Preston sighed and turned to Joanus who conjured up holographic popcorn and munched on it. "You're on your own bud."

"Gee thinks." He said with venom, "Well you heart was lost clearly enough," She nodded the humming had convinced her. "Your left lung as well, a synthetic substitute was installed, almost 16 ribs were replaced, and 24 pounds of muscle tissue, calm down." He said nervously as Aliner started to breath harder.

"Calm down! I just." Eventually logic won out over paranoia, she was, fine, still breathing, nothing wrong. "Fine, how much worse?"

"You lost a number of hormonal organs so we're playing this a bit by ear. We hacked the extra net for information on Asari physiology but even then we played this close and are just copying the chemical composition of Asari blood and we're doing augments to that on a standard monthly base. Still there is much data and we're trying to use it. But as I said it will be touch and go so we want you under observation for a year."

"I have to spend a year in the hospital!" Aliner said exasperated.

"Well yes and no, it'll be on hospital grounds, and you'll be check up on by hospital staff every few hours, plus a built in flow field, but other than that it's just a house we can keep an eye on you with."

"Ok." Aliner sighed.

"Right after that, you lost some intestinal space, and a bio patch is over your stomach we have to check up on that but other than that you'll be good for a return to service in a year and a twelfth, excuse me I have more patients to look at." He turned to walk away.

"Wait, what?" She said and Preston stopped.

"Return to active service. Rejoin the army?" He shrugged. "Standard turn around; get a marine ready to walk out as fast as possible at 100% health."

"I just lost half my organs and you want me to go back." She said to make the statement sound ludicrous, it did not work.

"Pretty much." Preston shrugged "A lot of marines are cyborgs."

"I am not going." She growled as menacingly as she could in a hospital bed.

Joanus chimed in "I think we should re-evaluate this, I mean its normal for humans but to an alien?" Preston looked Aliner in the eye, saw the sheer determination in her eyes and sighed "Very well I'll put you up for an additional psychological evaluation."

"Thank you." Aliner said softly, she had taken the cup of war, and drunken her fill.

And no way was she going back into that bloody crucible.

SHIFT

In orbit of Libertà the Hierarchy disk shaped ships floated in orbital position a few were giving half-hearted attempts at radiation bombardment, luckily a few semi mobile anti super weapon devices had been deployed and every blast that went to the city was shot down by a Phalanx. Still low level radioactive material coated the city.

About 30,000 miles away aboard the Alexander, Jackson was waiting to strike the first blow. The fleet was only a half hour away moving at sub light speed. After jumping behind the moon to hide the light of re-entry they moved with their stealth drives into position soon they would be ready.

"Captain something on long range scanners." Luna said, then she snickered "New data says it's a Hanar Illuminated Primacy Salsh;fu class cruiser, this one's named the Sufuqun."

"How do you know that?" Jackson asked.

"There are only 12 Salsh;fu class ship in existence, the Sufuqun was on a joint Hanar Salarian anti piracy action in the area to build good relations after some tension's were raised by some protestors at a dig site, it's all over the news. I just had to search Hanar ships and I got a full list on its wiki page. Took me a full five minutes to look it up, had to really look for it."

"So, whys it here?" Jackson asked Luna shrugged her holographic shoulders.

"Any number of reasons, but given this is a Hanar ship I bet it has to do with a neutral ship to start negotiating, O hell! There trying to contact the Hierarchy over a laser link!"

"Have they noticed?" Jackson asked.

"Don't think so, I'm lazing them as fast as I can to shut up before they get attention, and they just got it, detecting multiple Phase plane launches and plasma torpedo boats, at least one Transport Saucer."

"How powerful is a slash fu?"

"Salsh;fu," Luna corrected "Not half bad by council standards, main gun can fire three times every other second, total power per impact, about 1/3 of a mega ton." Jackson whistled that was a respectable number. A Alliance cruiser had no mega tons for its standard weapons, though they did move almost as fast, they made up for it with smarter ammo, anti shield rounds and monomolecular armour penetrating high explosive rounds.

Still, Alliance ships had strong shields able to ward off a plasma attack by extending the field twice as far as a council vessel allowing the heat and radiation splash diffusely off the hull. A council ship would not work as well getting a more focused blast.

Luna kept talking "Manoeuvres like a drunken man though, very, very heavy, its filled with water that fits Hanar biology so the ships unboardable. Has a decent top speed though it takes a long time to get to it and change directions at that speed."

"Do we intervene?" Luna asked after a second after she finished talking.

"Get us closer, but don't open fire until the main attack force does. I don't want to spoil the ambush for one stupid jelly. And keep a recording device on this fight at all times, any information about the council ships is worth it."

The smaller ships approached the far larger one, but it was best not to be fooled.

The 24 phase planes packed a pair of radiation beams, the same found on the defiler, to either side of their sharply angled cockpit. They were also packed with a phase drive system and phase rocket packs to use against ships. The rockets would phase through the first layer of the hull and after passing through 100-200 CM of material they would de-phase and exploded doing massive damage to the less armoured interior.

Also, like all Hierarchy vehicles they were remote controlled so even if you took out a thousand of them they remained as cracked as their pilots, who were on the main ships.

The plasma torpedo boats, all six of them, were not disks like most manned hierarchy ships. More akin to heavy fighters the Torpedo boats had to hitch a ride on the mass effect field of a Hierarchy battle ship. Called Coffin rockets by Alliance crew men due to their shape, thicker in the rear thinning to a narrower point.

Their only weapon was a single plasma torpedo that had two settings. One to kill shields like a giant radioactive disruptor torpedo, the other to kill hulls like an atomic bomb, which it was.

On impact the anti hull blast was equivalent to the city buster dropped on Hiroshima, in anti shield mode, the entire power output of north America for a half second in a focused EMP.

How ever there was a worse option.

Occasional the torpedo boats traded the main gun out for a single disposable warhead, the P-108. The modern Purifier warhead. If it made contact, even if the target was a dreadnought, the ship was going to go away. Thankfully they were always used late in the battle when in the chaos and confusion they could get a hit. So it was unlikely one would be deployed here.

The transport disk would be packed with Hierarchy ship board assault troops, Blades.

Armed with radiation plasma repeating pistols they were not as heavily mutated as Grunts, some might not be sterile, and had far higher station then lost ones. They were as big as humans, though like lost ones tended to walk on all fours or threes. They would board that ship guns blazing. What would happen would be interesting.

How a council ship would stand up would be, enlightening.

The phase planes launched the first salvo of missiles as the Cruiser took aim at the first Torpedo boat and fired. The round roared out and impact in a blaze of light that blew it apart in a single blast.

The Phase planes soon launched their missiles.

Each missile, about a yard and a half long, and a foot in diameter, was obscenely small, and fired in anime esquire bursts of 80 each. The swarm of missiles were far, far too small for GARDIAN to target, and practically all of them made impact. For a second it was anticlimactic, they touched the ship, disappeared, then the ship exploded.

It came apart at every seam and blew apart almost cracking in half scattering shards of metal in glimmering arches.

"What the fuck just happened? One volley should not have done that much!" Jackson was very surprised he would not wish such a strike on the Alexander, but it would not have been that bad.

"Most of it was filled with water remember." Luna said as the massive amounts of water began to out gas, freezing instantly at the seams and sending droplets of frozen ice over the now slowly spinning wreck.

What had happened was the uncompressible water had transferred the force and blew the ship apart.

"That will do it. Think anyone lived though that?" The Hierarchy floated around it, highly surprised it had been that easy as well they then wondered what to do. The transport pulled up and began releasing pods that began to cut into the hull.

"Maybe? Hold it, detecting movement; think some hall plates are moving to allow escape pods. Main fleet will be here in 133.32 seconds. I recommend we help out."

Jackson eyed the ruined hulk of a once powerful ship, like looking at a beached killer whale, you could see the power it once had but now it was nothing.

"Charge the main gun and prep the auto cannons, but don't fire until the main fleet is 30 seconds away." Orders rang out. "Also I want a NAT team on that ship when the fleet is 40 seconds away."

On the 40 second mark the team was formed up in the bay and the Quantum portal was powering up.

"Right then our orders are simple, kill Blades, save jelly's, end of story, let's move!" The portal opened, and a flood of water poured into the bay.

The torrent poured over the floor and sent technicians scrambling to save delicate electrical components. For a moment the NAT team froze, this was not covered in basic, and then the Sergeant started to yell. "Come on foreword!" He said and ploughed through the torrent, ZG jets on her armour helping her through the flow. She was followed quickly by the rest of the NAT team.

The portal close behind them the cargo bay was a chaos of debris, both floating and not.

"Will guns even work?" A squad mate said as he swam forward and looked around.

"No clue." The Sergeant said back the radio made for non-atmospheric work transmitting it perfectly under water. She drew a pistol and pulled the trigger, only for the thing to error message. "That's a no for guns, stick to frags, flash bangs, and knifes.

"Shields also a no go." A private remarked "Never thought about water proofing most of our shit. Lucky our breathers are still working."

"Well, this is a first, but let's move out." Ten seconds later the Alexander opened fire.

The EMP gun blared across space as the still invisible cruiser made its presence know for the first time in almost a year since it first cloaked around the moon when the Batarians arrived in force.

The blast turned fighters off and sent them drifting through space, one impacted the hulk of the Sufuqun and exploded.

The Torpedo boats redirected their main guns and fired a volley of high explosive plasma at the cruiser auto cannons on the prow began to focus fire on the incoming blasts. Around it Dervish fighters swung to engage the phase planes.

The two groups almost smashed into each other in the ensuing melee but a few made it though and launched their rockets in a massive salvo.

Small point defence guns on the Alexander activated. Not much bigger then a ground based C-RAM systems the multi barrelled systems roared to life. Each round cutting an iridescent path through space and time, then exploding when a proximity sensor went off activating the fire bomb in each shell. Not even phasing kept the missiles from melting.

Auto cannons chanting torpedo boat after torpedo boat was shredded, they relayed on intermixing with bigger targets to keep from getting shot at and they lived up to their name as coffin rockets and blew apart.

The fleet arrived shortly after and opened fire at the Hierarchy ships in orbit.

"Sir, Admiral William wishes to speak to you." Luna said and rubbed the side of her head "His AI was quite peeved."

"Lovely, put him on." Luna's holo terminal changed showing an image of Admiral William, and he was pissed.

"Jackson, I know we gave you an ETA on are arrival, but what made you break cover and open fire?"

"Idiot council ship tried to make contact with the Hierarchy, I think they may be here to end the war and since the fleet was so close I decided to lend a hand."

"And what made you think we were going to open fire as soon as we got here?"

"Umm." No answer.

"Now you made this fight harder." He glared at Jackson his hologram cut out, he had a battle to fight but he would say more on the subject latter.

SHIFT

In the heart of the Sufuqun the NAT team tried to move through the ship, tried due to the water content. Some places the water had out gassed but it was still hard going for marines who had never taken or been given an armour swimming class.

Normally they had their weapons out but in this case they just held a knife and a hopefully water proof grenade. Hanar ships, though few and far between, tended to be tough. The water based interior meant that no one, no one, could take a Hanar ship after a battle and use it. Also since all the water meant that movement and performances was crap anyway they went overboard on the armour.

Hanar war ships were not many in number, nor did they often have the inclination to use them, but when they did they were strong vessels able to stand up to most other ship's of their total tonnage.

The group slowly moved up a hall way when a bright flash rang out ahead of them.

"Move it!" The squad cut ahead faster as they moved around a corner a strange sight met them.

A Hierarchy blade, being strangled by a Hanar by four tentacles, the other two wrapped around a gun of some kind. It noticed them but did not stop till it broke the Blades neck. Then it pointed the gun at the NAT squad.

"This one demands to know what you're doing aboard the Hanar Illuminated vessel, the Sufuqun?" It was forceful, but not emotional.

"Settle down name Sergeant James." The now dubbed James said the translation cutting clear through the water filled hall way.

"This one does not trust you, but given the situation this one will work with you." James looked the Hanar over. It was a dark blue with pink highlights and light blue bioluminescence. Still it had taken a pounding and had dark blue bruising all over it and one of its tentacles was shorter than the others.

"What's your name and are there any other survivors?"

"Yes, other survivors are highly possible. This one's name is Blasto. We were going to make peace with you but,"

"You got phase missile'd apart. You set a record for flying apart at the seams by the way."

"This one would be embarrassed if it were not true. Lead on." The Hanar gestured with a tentacle and the mixed species squad moved out.

SHIFT

Admiral William led the charge against the occupying Hierarchy ships in orbit. Like a warlord of old his Dreadnought, the Twilight, lead from the front. Main gun roaring the ship pounding disk, after disk apart in an ever growing halo of metallic debris. Auto cannons rattled a war cry as it pulsed forward, to either flank the massed ranks of Hoplite ships acted like their Greek counterparts.

They advanced in close formation main guns hammering, like Spartans did with their spears, their shields almost over lapping they were so close, occasionally a black hole bomb was fired ripping space and time apart in a nimbus of dark matter.

Each projectile was a glaring beam of light that ripped into each ship. The heavy armour penetrating rounds left perfect holes in each ships heavy armour went on to burn up in the atmosphere of the planet below with thunderous explosions that could be heard worldwide.

Occasionally a shot would impact the central hub of a ship and the ship was blown apart as its power core for its main guns went critical.

But the Hierarchy soon rallied.

They spun and began to rip with their three main guns the red glare of their mass effect fields, as the shells weight was increased rather than lighted, the massive recoil forcing the gun back.

While it was pushed back into firing mode by powerful magnetic fields the ship spun and brought one of its two other struts into light and fired. A massive round every three seconds and soon Alliance shields were over clocked for more defence.

A few ships spun over presenting their underside sockets and began to unleash a more focused destruction. Heavy plasma rounds were launched in a tidal wave of self guided radioactive plasma and Alliance C-RAM tried to shoot down the massive rounds.

A few were more specialized and a hurricane of phase missiles were launched, almost a million from one disk radar screens darkened as red hostile dots filled every crevasse of the image.

The guns tried, but more than a few broke through the defences. Thousands of missiles impacted, or rather, did not impact the hull of Hoplite cruisers, but when they entered the hull they exploded sending blast fronts of flame and shock waves of force through the hull of the ships.

In seconds seven cruisers were destroyed, 19,516 lives, snuffed out.

And then, phase two of Williams plan engaged.

Carriers aligned above the hierarchy disk ship launched wing, after wing of fighters, and these were not Glaciers but heavier, larger, Avalanches.

The Sandstorm bombers escorted by thick wings of Typhoons moved closer, and closer to the Hierarchy ships, then just when they were on top of the they fired their auto cannons, shields weakened by gravitational ebbs from black hole bombs were shredded by anti shielding rounds, and hulls sprouted holes from monomolecular armour penetrating high explosive rounds.

The Hierarchy front seemed to wobble under this new pressure and phase planes were deployed to fight back only to crash into waves of Typhoon fighters.

The Hierarchy began to run out of ships as Alliance Hoplites kept pouring fire into them but it was a bloody fight.

Each shell battered shields and blew hulls apart, at this point the Hierarchy though had, had enough, this plan only had a small chance of working, but if it worked it would have been worth it.

Hierarchy ships began to glare blue as mass effect drives pulled them away at hyper light speeds. They would drop out around the relay, go through and meet the forces of Admiral Lance on the other side. If anyone lived through that they deserved both their life, and a lottery ticket.

Meanwhile the Alliance had bigger problems, the Hierarchy on the planet.

The cruisers lined up in orbit and readied their mass drivers and fired.

Orbital bombardment, maximum saturation. The rounds dropped fast and furious and the Hierarchy was blown apart in large, but well focused kinetic impacts. In minutes the army was scattered, in days the Hulrm would be run down by vengeful marines, betrayed by the radiation in their own body's, they would be found, and killed.

Humans were not merciful.

Codex Augmentation.

The Alliance's high degree of mechanical and technological skill has given them the ability to repair the most egregious of injuries and physical defects. Despite that many implants are actually more effective then the organic equivalents Alliance laws prevent organic replacement without a lawful reason. This is to prevent people from willing removing organs and limbs just for there superiority over there ogranic equvilents. This laws is both a general moral concensious and a personal request from queen Altea. Alliance Spec op augments tend to nudge this line.

Artificial hearts: A complicated pump that replicates the blood flow of the heart.

Artificial lungs: Artificial lungs work with a special polymer called pullumy. The polymer is filled with holes the size of blood vessels, specifically so it's not hard for the heart to pump. Arranged more akin to gills then lungs the Polymer is arranged in overlapping sheaf's that present the maximum amount of surface to the blood filled polymer. The Polymers one feature that makes it useful is that it is highly gas permeable, but not solid or liquid permeable, so the gas diffuses into the blood stream, but blood does not leak out.

Removing gases is done when the red blood cells release the co2 and it defuses out naturally as well. When a excess of unnatural gas, such as nitrogen, is detected the lung pumps out all the air in the lung to form a vacuum that sucks most of the gas out of the blood supply, that is then let out a one way valve at the top of the lung, in effect a subject with a artificial lung, cannot get the bends.

Artificial skin: The alliance cannot make artificial skin. All attempts have ended with skin far less sensitive than normal skin. Instead normal skin is grown over the robotic shell, especially odd on androids which have real skin, living off artificial blood, on an artificial body.

Artificial limbs: Robotic limbs are built to look like real limbs they always have skin grown over them and occasionally have useful tools in the frame hidden under flaps of metal and skin which reveal themselves only when needed. Examples include the infamous cork screw thumb, and for the army, pistol wrists.

Artificial livers: The most complex augmentation in existence. Artificial livers are not a single system but are spread out over a three times larger area then the natural liver. Each node controls, and regulates a different hormonal function of which in humans there are 500.

Eyes: A camera is implanted into the eye socket. Often comes with infrared and UV along with standard vision. A realistic appearance is given by carefully lathed plastics. It should be noted that higher and lower spectrum sight, though common, is dangerous if kept on long enough and Epilepsy is common as the human brain interprets sights it was not meant to see.

Immune system: The easiest augmentation in existence, nanobots programmed to destroy any cell that does not match the target. Also if not calibrated right acts as an anti pregnancy device. Note: Does not weaken human immune system since it judges the nanobots as a threat so it's always attacking them.

Blood: Nanobots replace red blood cells carrying oxygen and nutrients.

Synthetic muscles: Synthetic muscles work with Electro active polymers that in the presence of electrical fields change shape and size. However unlike many implants artificial muscles are far weaker than human maximum, though for everyday use they are identical.

Muscle augment: Strands of Electro active polymers are run through human muscle along with nanobot dispenser nodes to boost not the strength, but the endurance and self repair ability of the muscles so when they are used at their theoretical max they don't rip apart.

Synthetic Tendons: Made of carbon fibers the tendons link the muscles to the bone far stronger then natural tendons. These allow human muscles to better reach their theoretically max. Always goes hand in hand with bone reinforcements to keep the bone from breaking if used at max strength.

Synergy: Common perception is that parts of the brain are removed to add computers for true Synergy. This is a lie. Instead a great deal of cushioning for the brain is removed and replaced with spongy computer chips replacing the natural cushioning far more effectively: meaning that concussions are practically nonexistent in humans.

The computers not only allow wireless communication and can act as a black box for an AI, but also study the human brain and record all body conditions and brain activity, adding to the sum total of all human knowledge about the human brain, which is how Synergy became possible in the first place, consistent study of the human brain for over five generations.

Synergies main reason for existing is that a Synergised subject cannot be mind controlled by a Hierarchy mind magnet, and AIs twined to them cannot be controlled by a machine magnet.


	17. Peace at last

**_not much to say to this. save new chapter_**

* * *

><p>The Masari emissary ship Unity was once more on a diplomatic mission and the twin Aretia class Cruisers, Fate and Punishment, once again lead by captain Arensus guarded her. What was new were the two Hoplite A class cruisers, the Hannibal and Beowulf, and the Hoplite B class Patton along with the new Hecate class carrier filled with Banshee fighters.<p>

Two weeks after the final Assault on Libertà the Alliance diplomatic envoy was working their way through the Relay network toward the Citadel.

Qetzen, Arensus and a new individual, Zessus, were on the main diplomatic quarters for a last moment contact with the Alliance commanders.

"You have the approved list of demands?" Rachel asked.

"Yes, a few seem rough but they are what passed through congress and I will try to fulfil them." Qetzen said.

"Most of all you must keep them off their feet, our demands are high." Charos said "So throw information at them, not only are we two new species, one of us used to control the entire galaxy and their entire civilization's built on our grave, near instant production techniques, the ability to drive almost every corporation out of business in less than a week with said production method, our full military power, information is a weapon, make sure they have enough to make a first impression that makes us out as someone to appease rather than risk war with." Charos finished up his monolog.

Mirabel cut in replacing Charos hologram "Once more if the Turians prove reluctant in our demands make clear this is the first and last round of negotiating. We will destroy them, we will accommodate somewhat but the blame, and the cost must lie on their head."

"Understood." Qetzen said. The hologram shifted once more to President Rachel.

"Lastly if we cannot avoid war with the Turians try to keep the Salarians and Asari out of it. We can probably beat the Turians if we play our force smart, all three of them is a bit much and we can ill afford our forces split."

"What about plan Omega?" Zessus asked "We could destroy the Catapult and keep the Council a good 120 light year distance away."

"That's a possibility." Rachel said "But that would leave Libertà flying in the wind without help. We lost the portal once and as you know we have would have a nightmare in getting the supply to make a portal large enough for space ships to get between it and our core worlds not to mention that if it's destroyed then the shock waves would keep the portals from being built for many years."

"Not to mention our crown prince is now on the other side of said portal my son." Altea chimed in her hologram cutting in.

Qetzen nodded "Something the senate did not mention is how to treat Masari artefacts dug up by the races over the years. I am unsure how to treat this."

Altea was silent for a long while before she gave her answer. "We let them keep most of them; we are too few to even hope of unlocking most of them. That said we will draw a line for some, data storage devices, beacons for example but do not make that clear that's an issue for another day. No need to make ending a war harder then it must."

"Under stood my queen." Altea nodded and turned to Arensus.

"You are going to the most heavily guarded placed in all of known space. It is likely on par with the home fleet in terms of numbers."

Admiral Hackett took over. "Council ships likely hit weaker then our own given what we recorded at Libertà but they have thicker armour. In the event the council betrays us and try's to kill you, something I don't expect, the Human ships will put themselves between you and them."

"I understand. Captain Keara was positively joyful at the prospect saying she had a black hole with the Council's name on It." He shook his head "I understand."

"Ambassador Qetzen." A discipline walked in. "We are five minutes from the Hanar rendezvous."

"I understand. At you leave?" She asked and the hologram shifted back to Queen Altea who nodded and Qetzen bowed with Arensus as the hologram cut out.

"You did not mention the bigger issue that's looming." Zessus noted. Qetzen nodded.

"There is no issue. Both Alliance law and Alteas edicts are quite clear on the subject. No member of the Alliance may be worshiped as a god. No matter if the worshiper is a Human, or a Hanar."

SHIFT

The space around the relay howled into blue life as the small fleet of three human, three Masari, and two Hanar ships materialized in the heart of the council space, the heart of the catapult or relay network, like ancient Rome, all roads led to it.

A wide zone around the ships had been cleared beforehand ringed with warships. To the side lording over the procession with good firing arcs if anything went wrong was the Destiny Ascension.

"By the Angels! Look at that ship!" Zessus commented "It's bigger than any ship in the Alliance fleet."

"You forgot Atlantea." Qetzen said eying the ship with a keen diplomatic mind.

"That's not a ship; she's a city that floats in orbit. Try explaining orbital mechanics to Greeks and you see why they said it was an island city, not a flying city." They were silent again as the ships manoeuvred closer to the Citadel, until Zessus could no long control himself.

"Is it as you remember?"

"In form? Yes. In perception? Never. The Void came for us through it. Beware its form Zessus for within its gilded halls lies the past death of your civilization, and the future promise they will try again."

"We know now. And we will destroy them." Zessus proclaimed proudly.

"Fools rush ahead, where angels fear to tread." Qetzen sighed.

"We are not rushing, we are laying a trap." Zessus replayed. "And as god is my witness we will destroy them."

SHIFT

The transport shuttle left the hanger of the Unity, it was joined on either side by a Banshee fighter bomber and the group flew slowly toward a designated docking boom on the Presidium.

The Alliance Kodak was ugly compared to the sleek forms of the fighters around it. But its ugliness held a practicality to it. The blunt forms of something that was good only at what it did.

"Tower control this is Inquisitor prime on final approach." The transport said to the tower.

"Under stood Inquisitor prime you are clear for approach."

The Kodak flew into the hanger bay the twin Banshee fighters laying at rest near it, looking for the entire world like tigers ready to fight to the last to defend a human friend.

The Councillors and dozens of officials, news crew everyone was there to see this Alliance diplomat.

The first one out of the ship was a marine.

In form the Alliance Marine dress uniform was based completely on the US marine dress uniform due to the US prominence in forming the early Alliance. The exception was in materials.

Made completely of spider silk fabric and carbon fiber, layered with microscopic plates of high grade ceramics. The final effect was a gloss, flexible, and nearly bullet proof material.

He had a ceremonial, but still fully functional Lee Enfield rifle, the most effective pre earth assault weapon at countering the Hierarchy, slung over his shoulder loaded with Monomolecular bullets, not that the council would ever know that.

The effect was a power of brutality, and the grace of war. He seemed to glare around before walking exactly 12 paces and opening the shuttle door and snapping to attention. Qetzen was the diplomat. Dressed much as a Masari Seer, save the armour plating of the war seer was replaced with more silk and the ceremonial helmet discard completely in favour of a headdress.

Councillor Valern leaned over and whispered to Tevos "Is she here to be a diplomat or sleep with us?"

Normally Tevos would have glared at him for such a comment, as it stood she was unsure herself.

The two, diplomat and marine moved toward the three councillors. Once they were close enough Tevos turned on her omni tool, every news station on the, well station, would catch the following exchange.

"Greetings ambassador Qetzen we are the Citadel council and we welcome you to the Citadel."

"In the name of Queen Altea and by extension the Alliance I am honoured to be met by such an honoured group." Qetzen bowed in the Masari way and met the councillor in the eye. "If only we met in a time of peace rather than of battle." The marine put punctuation on the remark by shifting in a way that drew eyes to the rifle, but not threatening with it. A clunky thing, not what most races thought of when you said 'gun'. But still it screamed lethal.

"A, blunt way to put it." Valern said.

"Is it not true? Since it is why waste words and time while men die?"

"A cutting argument." Shrenda said. "One we must address immediately."

"Let us." Qetzen said with a smile and the five, escorted by C-Sec were lead to an armoured hover car.

"Before we begin, may I make a single request?" Qetzen said. The other councillors looked at her as they walked to the transport. "Queen Altea sent her son, the heir apparent of the Throne of the Masari, Zessus to see the Citadel and get a feel of our new future, also to help build relations with the varied races of the Citadel."

"You would like a guide?"

"Yes. A trusted one. Zessus is a mighty warrior but we rather not risk the heir unnecessarily." Valern shock his head, a warrior monarchy, how primitive.

"We will find one." Tevos said.

"Thank you." Qetzen said.

SHIFT

Paper copies of the Alliances demands were passed out as soon as they were within the vehicle. The cries of indignation from the Turian councillor began a few seconds after that.

"1,000 tons of Palladium, Iridium and Platinum, and 500 tons of Element zero?"

"Along with 5,000 tons of titanium and silver." Qetzen said, Masari don't smirk as other races knew it, but smirk they did as she did now.

"Silver? How much do you value that still?" Tevos said curiously.

"Very much. It is the most conductive metal we know, if we wish to make a circuit we make it out of silver after we pass it though an Entopic field."

"A what?"

"Something you shall learn in time." Qetzen said the air car was humming along toward the spire. The marine with her was trying hard not to stare at everything out the window.

"I thought Atlantea was big." He said.

"It is, but Atlantea is a single city. The Ring bears more similarity to a planet onto itself."

"The ring?" Tevos asked.

"An old word, are word, for the Citadel." The uncomfortable fact they may be in the presence of a Prothean came back hard to the council.

"So I assume you're not going to meet the demands?" Qetzen asked.

"Of course not!" Valern said. "Its outrageous!"

"It's outrageous that one man can force us into such a situation. I met him. He died a solider if that's any comfort. And yet here we are." Qetzen shrugged a human gesture that the Masari had picked up quickly. "Either way here we are and we need that," She pointed at the paper slip. "To ease the lost of over 900 civilians at Shanxi. That is just the start."

"What more?" Tevos asked.

"An embassy at the least, not one in 200 years, right now." She said forcefully. "Official apologies, definitely, acknowledgment of guilt, immediate cessation of armed activity near the border. Even anti piracy action, we shall take over that duty."

"And the Batarians?"

"We shall deal with them individually."

"And if we refuse?" Valern said.

"Then the Turian Hierarchy will be swept into the dust bin of history. How we would fight the war is something we are unsure about. Would we do with infantry, or as we always fight such wars and destroy your city with WMD bombardment. The choice depends on what each city decides. Either way your leadership will die, you had a civil war once. You may again end up with no government."

"Are you threatening us?"

"The Masari, and the Alliance, do not threaten. We promise."

"Well we can only pay half of it." He said firmly.

"Then your city's will die in plumes of gravity and hawking radiation."

"Threats get us nowhere." Tevos said quickly.

"If the Turians are unwilling to pay then the Asari republics will."

"Thank you Tevos." Qetzen smiled and nodded. "But you are not a mother who can apologize on behalf of a wayward child. We need that from the mouth of the Turian."

"And we should apologize why?"  
>Tevos rubbed her forehead; this would be a long day.<p>

SHIFT

Zessus moved though the Presidium. To say his guide, an Asari name Grinda, was nervous was a understatement. Between his two disciplines, who were armed with big damn shoulder cannons that looked like they could hole a battle ship, and the fact that Zessus held himself like, well a god.

Right now they were touring the ambassador's lounge.

Zessus dropped a shot of fine Asari beer only to shiver.

"Once again Masari biology proves that distilling tastes horrid. How Clan Caledonia drinks whiskey and anything like it is beyond me."

Grinda sighed "Up next are the embassies."

"Given the state of war we should avoid both the Turian and Batarian ones." One of his guards said.

"Yes let's start with the Hanar." Zessus gave a hard laugh.

"That will be fun." Zessus stood from the chair and stretch lightly.

"Lead on Grinda." Zessus said.

The four of them moved though the embassy till they got to the Hanar.

In side they arrived in the middle of an argument with the ambassador and an Asari.

"This is an important artefact. The one of the most intact one we have ever found it is important we study it."

"This one is sorry to say it cannot allow it. The artefact belongs to the enkindlers, pardon me I must attend to the visiting dignitary." The Hanar turned to new group.

"This one welcomes you to the Hanar embassy."

"I am welcome." Zessus bowed. "I am curious may I ask what you were arguing about?"

The Asari huffed. "The Hanar keep a priceless artefact in their embassy when it should be studied in an institute. I'm just the latest fool to arguing with them." She sighed "I'm sorry my names Liara." She stood up and Zessus walked over the artefact in question.

"A data module?" Zessus said as he eyed the almost perfect dull green sphere.

"Yes it's quite a find. Who knows what's on it. If only we could use it."

"Without the cipher you would be hard pressed not to end up mad." Zessus nodded "May I?"

"Zessus. The queen said don't do anything overt." One of the Disciplines said, almost huffed.

"Relax Henman. How will this be overt?"

"Knowing you? It will." The other said with a sigh.

"This one grants you the right to touch the artefact." The Hanar said and Zessus picked up from the table.

It started to pulse as it reacted to his touch. Before anyone could say anything it activated.

Floating lightly from his out stretched palms energy pulse and lashed around his forehead lightly sinking into his temples. The energy holding the full information of held within the orb.

Laira was speechless the Hanar was as well. After a half second Zessus put the still glowing orb down.

"Poetry. Over 4,000 years of Masari poetry and folk story's I have unblocked so any being may use it."

"Wa, how, how did you do that?' Laira said.

"I am Masari." Zessus said "This is a Masari device."

"Wait." Laira paused as she thought about it. This was a Prothean device, this man used it, said it was a Masari device, and he was a Masari.

"Goddess! Are you, the Protheans?"

"No. We are Masari. What you have christened our ruins as is what you would know us as."

The Hanar tentatively, reverently touched the orb. Words long forgotten, of world's long dead, wars whose veterans had long since passed, heroes, villains, drunks and the divine filled its mind.

"This one, does not know." The diplomat said turning to Zessus in a state of religious shock and awe. It tried to make sense of this new existence. "If, you are the Enkindlers then,"

Zessus cut him off. "We are not gods. By all our laws and customs your devotion falls on deaf ears." He pointed to the sphere "In there you shall find the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of the Masari. Character flaws one does not, and cannot find within gods."

"This is incredible! How did you survive! Why did you disappear in the first place?"

Zessus chuckled "At ease Liara was it? We have many, many thing to share with you." Zessus walked to a terrace overlooking the presidium and stared at the citadel tower. "And little time to do it."

SHIFT

Tevos sighed as the formidable diplomat Qetzen left the room. She said she was going to negotiate with the Batarians. That meant little right now. Almost everything was settled. The Asari would pay half, more than half honestly, of their demands.

The hang up was the official apologies.

"Valern see reason. It is a little thing and honestly you are in the wrong."

"Such arrogance to come and demand of the council!" Valern said "I see no reason to humour them!" Tevos fought down her rage. Valern had been chosen to be councillor by a particularly radical administration and so tended to a extreme national point of view.

"Valern I..." Tevos snapped. After putting up with him for 32 years she had finally had enough. And when she got mad she got calm, and political. "I move that the council officially reprimand the Turian Hierarchy."

"WHAT!"

"If you refuse you will be declaring war with the Alliance. Something I will not allow the rest of the council races to be dragged into it."

"Agreed." Shrenda said "If the Turians will not make peace with the Alliance then we will have no choice but formally censor them."

"Well Valern? Your choice?" Tevos said.

SHIFT

Qetzen moved though the embassy section of the presidium when the marine who shadowed her computer pinged.

"The Turians plan to apologize." He said as his neural connection told him the news.

"Good. All that's left is this. The two of them entered the joint embassy of the Volus and the Elcor.

"Annoyed: the horse move in like this, not that."

"Bah! This is a silly game."

"Chastising rebuke: No its not."

The marine had to stop. "You guys playing chess?"

"Neutral: yes. I asked Zessus about his culture and he showed me this game. It's quite good." The Elcor diplomat Calyn said.

The marine shock his head. "For the record your right the knight does move like that."

"You may play a game with the Diplomat after we have completed our dreadful business." Qetzen said.

"Sorry Ma'am." The two of them made their way to the Batarian embassy.

The door opened and the four eyes of the diplomat glared at them.

"Humans." he said curtly.

"Half right. I am Masari." Qetzen said.

"I don't care what anybody who dress as whoreish as you calls herself." The thing was unlike all other species save the Elcor (and that was due more too how hard it was to dress in a high gravity field) the Masari lacked a sever nudity taboo clothing wore more for fashion and for tradition the as a covering.

"Your insults mean nothing as I have no respect for what you are."  
>"That is not why I'm here though." She put her hand on the marines arm to try and keep him from putting a round from his revolver into each of his eyes.<p>

"I take it your here to end the war?"

"You're lucky we have more important thing to deal with then you're kind."

"And what are your demands?"

"Demand, singular. We want you to relinquish you embassy." He laughed.

"You're joking."

"I am not." To say her voice was like iron was an insult. It was a hard alloy of titanium and aluminium shaped to a single atom. "You will relinquish your embassy or your leaders will die." She walked forward and placed a tablet on his desk.

"Look and tell me what you see." He opened the tablet and his eyes expanded.

It was image of the leader of the Hegemony, but from an angle and place that was impossible. And given how it was moving it was live!

"You have 35 hours, or 68.43 council standard hours to make your choice." She turned and the two left the room.

The Batarian rapidly turned on a computer link to the leader eying the tablet the whole time, priority red.

The leader picked up in a few moments.

"What is Lethen? You seem shaken?"

"Sir! Your security may be compromised!"

"Impossible."

"You sure about that Skippy?" The leader and his guards spun to the speaker a Spec op trooper turned visible. With a pair of arm flicks each hand drew a throwing knife and sent them though each guards skull.

The leader ended up tripping over his chair in a hurry to get away from him.

Drawing a pistol the spec op trooper walked to stand over him.

"Now look here. The demand for peace is simple. You yield your council seat. Or I will come back and shoot you."  
>"You can't scare me." He growled.<p>

"I don't have too. Think I am the only one? You refuse we decapitate the entire government. How long will it take for the Hegemony, a group of pirates and slavers with a merc army to fly apart? Either way you're no threat to us. Yield or die."

The spec op cloaking engaged and before his eye he disappeared.

The leader stood up after a half minute and walked to the still active hologram. The choice was clear.

Peace. For now.

_-Codex: human psyche-_

_Humanity is a unique case in the galactic society. They more than any other race has been influenced by technology._

_Humanity exists in a so called post scarcity society. Which means that almost everything is almost free, made by nano assemblers, and food, the most time consuming to grow, is so heavily subsided that it is cheap as well. Energy is proved by Matter energy and automatic flow generators which draw energy from quantum space._

_This means that humans tend to be impatient. When they want something they want it now. As that's what their society has trained them to expect and want._

_Humans put a high value on free expression and artwork as one of the few scarcities they have left is artistic talent. Seen through an alien eye human cities are bright with silk and cotton flags and banners, filled with public art work, statues and wall paintings. The humans themselves favor bright colors for clothing and cotton, silk both spider and worm, flax and wool are favored fabrics for those who can afford it as biological materials tend to be expensive._

_However most humans have a temper as well. They get mad and frustrated easily and tend to react to a situation with a fight, or fight harder, reaction. Their temper, the same kind that lead marines to fight walkers and win, easily blossoms to real anger quickly if ill handed which is common when humans incapacitate their higher thinking skills. In laymen's terms, get drunk._

_The final image is a childish race with no self control that gets into bar fights._

_Though this is the image they subconsciously put out this is not the truth._

_They are just as mature, if not more so then most other races. They're shaped by their culture as any other race. Their technology has created them and it is hard to say what happens when this society mesh's with ours. Cultures bleed, amplify, mix, and diffuse, osmosis with each other when in proximity. What this means for the galactic society is unclear._

_Analysis of human psychology and thinking process._

_By Mordin Solus_


	18. Two shorts

**Two shorter storys this time that set up the situation in mass effect, one with the geth the other with Novus proper.**

******_edited by halo token._**

* * *

><p><strong>Geth and I.<strong>

The bulk of the Hoplite cruiser hung low near the relay. Along either side hung a Torpedo Corvette boat. Ignoring transmissions from nearby communication buoys warning of the Geth on the other side of the relay they readied the plan to break the ice.

"Corvettes away." The AI who simply went by Cave intoned from his hologram terminal. Captain Eric nodded as the two ships peeled away from the Hoplite, each the pinnacle of stealth technology, technique and skill.

Chicago and London were the two ships names. The Corvettes made for the relay and the relay glowed bright and soon the ships catapulted across space.

"Let us hope we have more luck." Cave dryly said every attempted to contact the Geth had ended in failure. If anyone could solve the problem it was the people who were half AI themselves.

SHIFT

The Geth in charge of the sensors saw the relay glow bright and the station lit up as the main guns of the battle station were prepped, but when the ships arrived, nothing. The Geth were puzzled, where were the ships? Suddenly a transmission raced across space, in a language long forgotten. They had to search the depth of their memory banks, but when they did the surprise stunned the Geth into a lapse of thought for 1.2341 seconds.

The Kretzen. The one organic race that had greeted them as an equal among the stars. There was only one race that would, and could claim the mantel of that long gone race.

The Alliance.

The same race who they had already reached consensus they would give a chance to. They alone ignored the council anti AI laws, and frequently broke them. The same laws that were onto the Geth what the Nisko plan was unto Jews under Nazi rule. Save they skipped straight to exterminating.

The prepared transmission went out.

"We will not shoot if you do not." The twin stealth Corvettes passed the message to the Cruiser Beowulf.

SHIFT

"We are go." Eric said with a smile and the ship began to burn its engines forward. "Unless it's a trap. Good thing I backed myself up." Cave said the relay glowed again and the Beowulf was catapulted into Geth space. It was Eric's first good look at the Geth fortress.

Massing almost 900,000 tons it was long and shaped in a cross form, much like the Destiny Ascension. Its difference was this station was even more heavily armoured and shielded having no need to move or keep an atmosphere or a lot of gravity. Also unlike the Destiny it was armed with four dreadnought grade guns mounted around each other in place of one really, really large one.

This fortress station was the single most powerful station ever built no one would enter Geth space with this monster guarding the relay and it was why no ship had ever returned from Geth space.

He whistled. "Now that's a fortress. That would give even us a run for our money. That bastard could hole any ship in our fleet!"

"If the rounds are armour penetrating they could likely hit more than one." Cave said.

"Indeed, general broadcast I need to know how this is going to work."

"Transmitters on your live."

"Greetings Geth. I am Captain Eric Rodgerson." He did not add former senate leader retired 12 years. Then offered him a ship under the new rank embassy Corporal. His ship was then repainted.

Brilliant Dazzle camouflage, conflicting colours and lights complement, insulted, mingled and conflicted with each other along the hull. The total look was a ship that though military made and formed, was clearly not a military ship and was an impressive sight when laying at berth.

The transmission returned.

"We are Geth, we welcome you to defence station DS-42." Short and to the point.

"We came for a few reasons one of which was to formally extend our hand in friendship. Forgive me but I would like to speak face to face. May I request permission to either dock the Beowulf, Chicago and London? Or launch a shuttle?" Silence, then.

"We have reached consensus. The Beowulf may dock." The docking codes were transmitted to the Cruiser and it made its approach the two Corvettes close behind.

Slowly the Cruiser aligned the hatches, jets thrumming and pulsing till it was perfectly aligned.

The docking arms were not built for non Geth ships but they improvised reaching out and gripping the long form of the massive ship.

Eric was by the door in his Star Navy uniform and when it opened he was starring face, to light bulb a Geth unlike any recorded type.

Its face plates unfolded in an expression of surprise. "Greetings Captain Eric." It monotoned and it put its hand out.

"Greetings,,,?" He waited for a name.

"Geth." It monotones. Eric nodded, he had been briefed that Geth don't have individuals so names were meaningless.

"Does the platform in-front me have a local designation?" Its head plates unfolded, and folded in thought.

"The Kretzen called this the Ro-Maun-Thn. The one who speaks for the one who is many. A term derived from a religious text."

"Mind if we come up with a human term?" Eric said then Cave interrupted.

"And He asked him, "What is thy name?" And he answered, saying, "My name is Legion: for we are many. The Gospel of Mark, 5:9."

"That works." Eric said. The Geth's face plate folded and unfolded.

"Legion... We accepted this designation."

_Secondary codex-Eric-Geth pact._

_In 2160ce the Alliance formally, and publicly, entered an alliance with the Geth._

_The pact, named after the two signers details the extent of the agreement. Many note the agreement amounts to little more than a trade deal._

_1 Alliance ships shall have the free traverse of Geth space and the Alliance may create quantum portals for the purpose of fighting the hierarchy freely._

_2 The Geth will trade resource for Alliance readymade components and superconductive materials for the assembly of a Dyson sphere. The Geth bear sole responsibly for assembling the sphere._

_3 The Masari will provide a number of matter engines for powering the sphere._

_4 The Geth will nether aid nor hinder the efforts of the military of the Alliance._

**Reunification**

The Detroit was a stealth Corvette. It hung low in orbit above the planet Almun. This planet was unique as it was the home of Novus.

Heavily fortified the ship had to dodge patrols to get this close. Every attempted to link with original Novus forces had failed. They now had to link with the planet proper.

They now had the statistics they needed to drop a portal on the planet.

The Hog pulled away its job done.

SHIFT

Mirabel the second checked the powered robot over, in her mind. System checks, weapon read outs and power core readings flashed though her link with the machine.

"Be careful." She turned slightly from the still open cockpit to her mother.

"No worry mum, everything's going to flow fine. Worse comes to worse I'll still have a platoon of marines and we can really wreck some unholy havoc." Mom Mirabel frowned.

"That havoc will be on my former home."

"Yes mum, I'll be careful." She said seriously.

"Deployment in 13 seconds." Victor said in the long forgotten language Kretness as the humans had dubbed it.

"TtL/GtG/SyS." Mirabel said flipping to bastard English for a second then the hatch closed around her and Victor trudged from his housing.

"I hate when she does that." Mom Mirabel said sadly as she, like so many generations before watched her children march to battle.

SHIFT

The city of Sklith had rebuilt into a gleaming city of white metal and silver lights. As the former capital of the Kretzen it was the first to be rebuilt form the radioactive mass the Purifier had left it.

In the shining plaza of steel, in front of the command building from which all of Novus operations were planed a small cleaning robot ran along the street sweeping sand and dirt into its hoppers.

A bright light drew its attention. It very limited AI processor saw it as a quantum portal.

The being that stepped though it though was not anything it had ever seen before.

Large, covered in thick metal plates it was like a knight from ancient times, with a gun that could shoot though any 15 of those long past knights.

Even as an alarm went out its small brain almost shorted itself in shock. An Ohm bot emerged from beside it and then a Heavy Assault Platform, broadcasting itself as field commanders Mirabel and Victor.

The response was instant, and flawed.

In a moment they were surrounded by Ohm bots, blade troopers and field inverters.

Who did nothing. The coding was correct. They were commanders Mirabel and Victor but they had long been proclaimed dead. And Victors frame was different, slimier. And rather than the large rifle he wielded a pair of submarine guns with under slug flamethrowers.

For a minute the two sides did nothing. They glared silently at each other till a jet of ionized air herald the arrival of Mirabel and Junth.

"Identify your self's immediately!" The large machine intoned the response came swiftly.

"Mirabel, as I take it you are as well?"

"Who are you? And how did you get here?" Junth dropped to a firing stance, Victor did not.

"I am Mirabel. When the Assault, what did you call it? Operation 842 failed. My mother, Mirabel the 82nd survived and I was born."

"You, you survived?" Junth lowered the rifle. "How?"

"Do not fall for it Mirabel." A familiar bulk landed next to her.  
>"There is no way they could have survived the operation."<p>

"If you don't believe me," Victors hull unfolded, the head piece folding away from the body revealing the cockpit, and her. "Look me in the eye, Founder." Mirabel looked head to head at the cold eyes of the robot her mother had told so many stories about.

For a second the Founder took in her facial structure, bone build, approximate weight, approximate height, approximate density, silvery skin tone, everything, and comparing to a program to extrapolate the differences between her and all other Mirabel's. The conclusion was clear.

"You speak the truth." The army of Novus faded, or rather flowed away.

SHIFT

Mirabel stared, unabashed, unashamed, at the face of her duplicate. The skin was more silvery, far more; she was swimming in nanobots fighting to hold her degraded DNA together.

For her part the other Mirabel stared at everything else. She had never been in the Novus command building. Ringed with towering walls of super computers in the middle was a single hologram showing the entire galaxy that extended the whole room, and it was a large room so they swam in the stars.

The marines moved close behind and were just as impressed. The whole map showed stars and the areas the Alliance, Hierarchy, Geth, Council and the Terminus systems held, each labelled and individually designated with more information. Only AI's could take in and understand the vast flow of information, and each marine had at least a VI. (The council designation for low grade intelligences had caught on.)

The Founder was in performance mode and floated nearby, making sure they didn't touch anything. "I can't believe you survived the assault!" Mirabel said.

"Define assault?"

"Oh, Operation 842."

"I did not. I was the backup Beta platform, now Alpha." Mirabel nodded.

"You know we've been trying to link up with you for years. Every time we tracked down one of your bases you either fell back or shot at us."

"You did what?" The other Mirabel said.

"They were not, and are not, within our programmed parameters."

"You took the one organic race to ever stand against the Hierarchy that was not the council and you shot at them?" She glared at the Founder. He was silent for a moment.

"You are the most petulant Mirabel yet born." You could almost hear the sigh of a parent when they realize there child was no longer a child.

"Don't dodge the question! How could you!"

"They were not within programmed parameters. To intervene would require a change in the Programming. To alter even one line of code could drastically effect our purpose and risk allowing the Hierarchy to ravage and consume unhindered."

"I don't have a program, according to your own coding," She taped, though the furious way she did it was more akin to slamming, buttons on her forearm computer. The galaxy faded and a solid wall of computer coding took its place. To those who could read it was the lines of code she was referencing.

It was as close an AI could come to sitting a law.

"I am to be the moral code of the Alliance. I am your back up. In this case Novus needs a change to their code due to the more nebular reasons of honour, reason or simple tactical necessity! This is all of those!"

"It is why you were not informed. It was judged too great a risk to our purpose to inform you and incite the programmed purpose."

"Oh lovely! A conspiracy within Novus!" The new Mirabel said. "This may be the wrong time to say we want you to join the Alliance proper." The founder interrupted.

"Impossible to do so would require a change in code."

The other Mirabel scoffed. "A change that would give us a higher chance in stopping the Hierarchy!" She gestured to a marine who under the sudden scrutiny shifted within his armour. "The Hierarchy are getting stronger, not weaker despite our efforts! Now a race that has managed to stop the Hierarchy and turn it back comes for our help!" She put her hands on her hips.

"We will help them, if not join them by my position as Novus high general." The new Mirabel eyes went wide. From what she knew by saying that the programming within the Founder would be conflicted. On the one hand he will be forced to do what she said due to her position as the last Kretzen and her position in the Novus Military.

On the other hand the Founders imperative to preserve the program would force him to disregard her, forcing him to remove her rank and eminence within Novus leadership and her mother was dreadfully sure that more than one of her predecessors had been killed by just this sort of programming dilemma.

The Founder would have killed them to keep the programming intact by neither removing her rank nor changing the program her way. Which were both program changes, Hence keeping the program the same and removing the threat to it.

She mentally loaded her pistol and gave commands to the marines to be ready.

As it stood Mirabel stared down the Founder eye to camera. The Founder then turned to the wall of code and waved a hand over it. The countless 0's and 1's changing and shifting. "You are right Mirabel. For once we no longer have to build tombs."

Secondary codex- Alliance naming.

All Alliance ships have three names, the class name, the individual name, and the serial number.

Dreadnoughts are class named based on a general consensus among the architects who first design the vessel. This means they get vaguely poetic names like Star Gazer and Num/lin, (a Masari word meaning the point the storm breaks over twilight.) The first Admiral who captains them gets to choose an individual name so they tend to get names extolling vague military concepts like Glory or Conqueror.

Cruisers are class named after groups of historic soldiers like Hoplites and Vikings; they're individually named after great military men, not just commanders but great soldiers.

Carriers are class named after natural conditions like Avalanches and Glaciers, there individually named after land formations like the Everest and Olympus Mons.

Fighters are class named after weather. They're not given official individual names though they are often given names.

Frigates are class named after human virtues like bravery, and courage, they're individually named after great thinkers and scientists.

Corvette, or patrol boats, are class named after weapons and are individually named after city's.

Destroyers are class named after great battles and are individually named after explores like Marco polo and Columbus.

Sometimes ships diverge so wildly form the above they are given new names. For example the orbital bombardment cruiser is named the Gallipoli and all other OB cruisers are named after battles.

With contact with the Alliance the Corvette and Destroyer class of ships are gaining popularity with the council races and the first generation of council Torpedo Corvettes and escort Destroyers are entering service.


	19. Enter Shepard

_**New chapter,, Ya. not much to say just the back story of Shepard.**_

_**note the song in the middle of the chapter is one last battle, i recommend mitsukaitoori upload of the song to Voices of a distant star video. it has the highest quality of any version of the song on you tube (I swear theirs like, two!)**_

_**here we go.  
><strong>_

**_BOLD leaning type: te_****_xt messages._**

_Leaning_:thoughts plus song.

**/Bold with slashs/**_**:non sentint AI Thoughts and or speach**_

* * *

><p>"No, I'm afraid I can't recommend either of them."<p>

Anderson hologram blinked. "Why not Nihlus?"

The Turian specter leaned back in his chair in the human embassy as his eye passed from ambassador Udina, a former senator, and Admirals Anderson and Hackett.

"Don't get me wrong. First Sergeant Elizabeth and Spec Op trooper Jeremiah are both great men and women, and the Specters would be better with either of them."

"So what's the problem?" Udina asked.

"They're both too good." A few confused looks. "A specter needs to be loyal to the council first. Yes Elizabeth showed herself a hero at Elysium and yes Jeremiah was ruthless at Torfan."

"To be fair we did screw up the intelligence." Hackett said self consciously. Nihlus ignored him.

"But they both hold the Alliance in almost religious zeal, it something humans are good at."

"So what you want is someone who dislikes the Alliance government, is senior enough so everyone does not look oddly at the suggestion, and experienced enough they would make a good specter." Udina said a loud.

"A tall order." Hackett said Anderson began to type on an omni tool as he tried to call up a personal file.

"I'm sorry we seem to be having some issues with the file recall system." He looked up. "I think there's a personal file in the Embassy." Udina nodded and walked over to a file cabinet.

In-spite of, or because of how technologically powerful they were, the Alliance did not trust digital transfers of sensitive information and stored all important documents, as documents on paper stored in cabinets with a nanobot packet in the corners to disassemble it if proper protocol was not followed.

Udina, in order, tapped a code out on the cabinet in question, it popped out with a slight hiss he then waited for the right file to be digitally flagged, thumbing would trigger the disassembler when he did pulled it out. It then popped slightly out lifted by a pair of wheels and he took the file, closing the cabinet behind him.

"Here." He put the filed into Nihlus hand and he opened it up.

"Master Gunnery Sergeant Shepard?" he looked up waiting for an explanation of why he would make a good specter.

"Shepard joined the Marine core almost 89 years ago unlike most Marines he was a lifer. Ten years ago he volunteered to for an experimental procedure to become a biotic, it was a success and he is the first in a new generation of human Biotics. He had top marks in marksmen ship he's a record holder in the Iron Sights division of rifle sport shooting."

"After High school he applied, and was accepted in the USS Missouri summer educational workshop. After that he graduated from the University of Terra, Washington Collage with full honours and was a NCO in the Alliance army."

"Why didn't you tell me about him earlier?" Nihlus asked interested. That was an impressive educational pedigree.

"Unlike Elizabeth and Jeremiah he's synerged to an AI I assume you would not want to synerged Specter." Nihlus nodded in agreement. "His last assignment was a rescue operation on Akuze."

SHIFT

"Alright Marines!" Shepard bellowed "We have a downed civilian transport on this barren rock, we go in, get the civvies, and get off this rock for some beers back on the Twilight!"

The Kodak transport shuttle landed and the squad of marines dismounted.

SHIFT

"It was a trap." Hackett said with a head shake. "We had no idea what we were getting into. No one had told us what a Thresher Maw was much less how dangerous it was. Some bastard had set a beacon on the world and just sat by to record what happened."

SHIFT

"It's on the left flank!" A marine yelled firing his rifle at it in close bursts. His chest was melted by the next acid shot, his legs stood for a half second as if surprised, and then they crumpled spilling blood over the dry sand.

"Hold position! Dig in!" Shepard spun around, his squad was being cut down by an over sized earth worm! Lining a shot up he fired a quick burst into its face, the heavy armour penetrating rounds over penetrating, going right though without doing enough damage to bring it down.

Locking the rifle back onto his shoulder he drew a heavy weapon set over his rear were the council would store a shot gun. He took aim and the Flamethrower sent a 90 meter tongue of flame toward the mouth of the Thresher.

SHIFT

Anderson took up the narrative. "It was hard fight. From what we understand the Thresher killed his entire squad and destroyed the shuttle off world. But in the end he did kill it. With no way of long range contact he was left on the world for three months. It was there he synerged with the EDI AI Dedra."

SHIFT

Shepard dragged the body of the Marine into the shelter of the civilian freighter they had been trying to rescue. The marine had half his chest rip open by the thresher acid spit and his left arm, and shoulder were missing. No amount of field nanobots would fix that. All he could do was make him die in comfort.

"It will be OK son, daughter," He correct when he saw he, was a she, "The Alliance will be here." The Marine coughed and her face plate unlocked.

"No they won't." She said weakly, "The Emergency beacon shut itself off." She reached with her one hand to the back of her helmet, and muttered to herself, "No, it's for the best." Then to Shepard. "Can you take a 99-X class AI black box?"

"Yes, I can." He said, his eyes having trouble straying from her chest, watching her lung, literally watching her now exposed, acid pockmarked lung, struggle for breath.

With a quick tug the AI black box was removed from the military grade slot that linked to the back of her head. Weakly she held the flash drive sized computer to Shepard. "Take good care of her." She smiled and Shepard grabbed it. She then sighed, leaned back from her struggle to stay alive and died in Shepard's arms.

Looking at the drive he pulled the VI chip from the back of his head, and carefully put the new chip into place. A load bar appeared on his HUD and he waited for the AI to fully sync with his nerves.

The itch at the back of his head told him the AI was synced and they were joined.

The AI was silent and buzzed with anger, and sadness,

"You have a name?" He asked kindly, emergency transfers were never good for an AI psych.

"Dedra." The reply came back. "Let's get the fuck off this rock." Shepard nodded, pulled his rifle out, switched to shotgun mode, activated an under-slug flashlight, and probed through the ship.

SHIFT

"It took two months of constant work on the beacon to both repair it after whoever had set ithad destroyed the circuits with a nano disassembler and to back track where information recording devices set inside was going. When Shepard was rescued he was treated for malnutrition and after two weeks of treatment Dedra found out where it had been sent."

SHIFT

Up, down, up, down. After the 75th push up Dedra interrupted over the neural link the two shared. After months she still refused to talk about the women who had died on Akuze she had been fused with, literally a part of for who knows how long.

"Got them. I tracked the information. It went off a relay from Omega and I lost track of it for a few moments on an Ilium sub system. I had to ping the original recorder with new information to trace it again."

"Isn't that back on Akuze?" Shepard asked standing up and rubbing himself down with a wet towel.

"Don't mention that planet, its dead to me." The AI said sharply. "And yes it is I installed a back door with a quantum communication link so I can use it anywhere in the galaxy. I followed the ping though the networks and found where it was going."

Shepard nodded and began thumbing though some mental information and dispatched a request for leave. "I need a team to follow me there."

"Already taken care of. I already asked 19 marines, 12 accepted. They all lost marines to whoever set the trap." Shepard blinked. The beacon auto cut off had told them that along with the recording devices. Still it was a bit hard to stomach.

"Right then, where we going?"

"Pragia."

SHIFT

"Now I remember where I heard of him." Nihlus said. "I know it from here. He and a squad of marines on extended leave went to Pragia and discovered Teltin." To their credit the Humans all looked slightly embarrassed and ashamed.

"How much of the story do you know?" Anderson asked.

"Enough." Nihlus said "Something I never understood is how the Marines got their weapons and armor on leave?"

"Its semi common for marines to temporarily become mercenaries on leave for some credits and to help take down slavers and pirates." Hackett said. "If they break Alliance law then there still is punishment for it. It's like a controlled mercenary group."

"And if they do something you can claim ignorance of it." Nihlus said.

"They're not allowed into citadel space." Udina said neither confirming, nor denying it.

Nihlus nodded and continued what he knew of the story. "They scouted the facility out, and then they found an escapee. A child who by the scars on his body and broken bones told the story of what was going on within. They moved silently at first."

SHIFT

The monomolecular blade sliced though the thick door until the lock was sheered though and with a soft beep it slid open. Silently a massive marine walked into the room. Its rifle swept the room threatening, all around it where shipping containers but no personal.

"Clear." Shepard said into the comm. and waved the rest of the team into the room. They left Henry in their shuttle and they moved into scout the facility. Shepard moved up to a terminal and locked a hard link connection for Dedra.

"I'm in." She said over there link. "It's a Alliance network running VI security. I'm flooding it with junk data any alarm we cause will not spread beyond the room were in though the gun fire may be heard if they get a chance to shoot back and I can't jam the personals communications."

"Good job." Shepard said. A gasp over the communication drew his attention.

"What is it Pritchard?" He walked over to the box Pritchard had opened up.

"Children! By the fucken dozen!"

Shepard knelt next to the container and shined a light in. It was as he said.

A dozen children shied away from the light, crowding the other end of the box. Scared, one of them was either unconscious or dead on the floor.

For a second the squad was silent as the image lit up ever ones HUD. Then a sliding door opened to their left. 19 pairs of eyes turned to see a human technician.

For a stunned second there was nothing then Shepard blew him in half with his rifle set to shot gun. The blast echoed around the room.

"Vacations over gents! Pritchard! Shut that container we don't want traumatized children wandering around our war zone!"

"Yes sir!" He smirked the spoke softly to the children. "This will soon be over." He shut the door and relocked it.

"Anyone else want a stealth operation?" Shepard said as he eyed the containers, likely filled with more children. The roars of no's met him loudly. "Right then let's do this!"

SHIFT

"Until they found out what went on within." Nihlus finished. The humans nodded.

"To their credit they cleared that place out but at a heavy cost. Once again only Sheppard was left standing only one subject unaccounted for." Anderson said. "Then he made the choice that made the incident even more famous."

SHIFT

Shepard trudged though the control room, his armor smeared with blood not his own, dripping water from one of the frequent storms onto the floor.

He collapsed and leaned against the computer. Dedra spoke up.

"How did it go up there? No cameras over look the landing pad."

"Shut up." Shepard said tiredly. Dedra did not push it.

"I have the communications up I just need a manual over ride to send the transmission to the Alliance." Shepard stood up.

"No."

"What?" Dedra said confused.

"This is an Alliance facility correct?"

"There are serious implications to that effect." Dedra said from the terminal being within the network itself and knowing every file within.

"Then who knows how high this goes." He said sharply. "We could be bombed from orbit the second they know they've been compromised. Send it to Helfin 11-Zantha."

"A Turian military base?" Dedra said.

"Yes. I want the Council to hear before we go contact the Alliance." Dedra nodded her holographic head.

"Understood sir preparing transmission. I still need an override."

"On it." Shepard hefted his rifle and trudged out of the room, to the communication array.

SHIFT

"The rest is history." Nihlus said. "The Turians showed up, a transmission went out to the Alliance and the first ship to show up was a Gallipoli bombardment vessel. Interpret that as you will."

"It was a massive scandal in the Alliance too." Anderson said. "No one knew who was in on it and who was not. Every file in DEW's, FBI's, CIA's, computers were swept though. It was so bad a petition calling for new elections of every politician got almost five billions signatures. It even sent the Masari up in arms, they normally ignore human politics. A few people were caught and directly implicated. They were shot at dawn. General William was lucky he was just sentenced to life in the marines.

"How is that different then what a human normally goes though?" Nihlus asked, then realized how vaguely racist that sounded.

"You cannot go higher ranked then a private." Hackett said sadly. William was a good general who deserved better and he doubted highly he was involved. It was just that the Gallipoli in question had been from his fleet. It could have been any one, could have been him. He had died about seven years back, un-mourned and unloved, except by his family.

It was silent for a moment then Nihlus broke it. "I like Shepard I'll nominate him for the Specters." Anderson coughed.

"There is a slight problem." Nihlus made a please continue motion with his hand. "Shepard is going to retire from the Alliance military and has made open his plans to move to the citadel. In order to support our specter like we want to we need to get him to reenlist and we need to make sure he will follow though. It will look bad if the first human candidate for Specter declines."

"Can you look into that?"

Anderson nodded. "Following the incident I debriefed him and we've been close since. I'll talk to him and check in."

"How long till you're sure?"

"Give me 60 hours." Anderson said and his hologram cut out.

SHIFT

Anderson walked into the park. It was lightly filled with people, coming going, relaxing, resting. And more than a few alien sightseers.

Anderson paused and listened. Some where a man played a guitar and he followed the sound of music and falling water.

Turning a corner he saw him.

Dressed in a vibrant red cotton T shirt with matching slacks. He had coal black hair that went well with his more brown skin tone and blue eyes. On his lap rested an old guitar. May even have been pre assault. He was strumming a mindless tune as he picked his next song. Then suddenly he broke into song. It was an old, odd song. It predated the assault but it so well captured the soul of the new Alliance it become quite common.

I_t's been two years since I saw you, since I stood upon the ground. In the shadow of a shuttle that too soon for space was bound._

_And now I am a warrior, a Pilot for the fleet and they told me I cannot go home till the enemy's defeat._

_And now I'm on the front lines in this damn patrol corvette._

_Shot 15 of the alien ships and they haven't got us yet._

_And I curse the foe and I curse this ship and curse each single fight for I'm hunted by the memory of you on a moon lit summer night._

_I remember how we sat there looking down upon the veil and you told me how you wait for me if it took a thousand days._

_But I've been gone a long time and I've been so far away._

_And each time I go into battle dear, for both of us I pray._

_The foe retreats before us now his conquest he has lost._

_We beat him back; we smashed ships but lord at what a cost._

_Ten thousand men lie grave-less in the emptiness of space._

_And they died so far from heart and home and a women's fond embrace._

_The alien fleets before us now. The final battle draws nigh. And I can't know before it's done if I'll live or if I'll die._

_But if this one last battle I should manage to survive, I'll come home to you for the war will be though and I'll take you for my bride._

Anderson walked up to the strumming player and the guitarist chuckled.

"Anderson, to what do I owe the honor?"

"I think you know Shepard." Anderson eyed the guitar case in front of him. It was half filled with alliance coins and Council credit chits. Even factoring in a 100 to one exchange rate it was a good haul.

"Having a fun time?" he asked sitting beside Shepard who nodded. "I like music better than most things. I have a possible job lined up playing in some bar in the citadel. Always wanted to be a musician."

"What about Dedra?

"She wants to come with me. As long as I don't wave her under C sec's nose it will be find and If not? Well, weapon restrictions don't apply to cartridge weapons." He patted his hip were a revolver would sit if he had a gun belt.

"Make my life harder why don't ya." Anderson said with a sigh.

"So why are you here?" Shepard asked strumming a few notes mindlessly. "And if it's about getting me to reenlist it's still a no. I've made my mind up and I ain't going back. I love the Alliance as much as the next man but I will not trust the Human government for the next 500 years. Who knows? I may live that long if the reaper stays his blade." Anderson nodded at the movie quote.

"Well I have an angle you have not heard before that may make you change your mind." Shepard chuckled.

"Be a cold day in hell, not counting Dante, before I do that. Lay it on me."

"We want to make you a Specter." Shepard broke a string on his guitar and looked at it in surprise.

"That is a new one. Ain't specters the council super SWAT?"

"SWAT slash spec op." Anderson said.

"Why would they want a human specter? We're not even a part of the council proper we tolerate them. Nothing more or less."

"Well we want more. We want a council seat. The Hanar are pushing hard and under the kind of pressure of the combined enkindler religion due to the Masari they're bowing to the inevitable and are going to do it at some point." Anderson explained.

"What's me becoming a Specter got to do with anything?"

"It's the first step. You have to become a Specter and prove yourself."

Shepard thought about it. "And me reenlisting?"

"We want to make sure you get the job done so we want to give are Specter a ship. The new Deep scout destroyer SSV Normandy."

"Normandy." Shepard said trying the idea out. "That Joint Turian-human ship?"

"Turian, Human and Geth, the Council's down playing down that last bit."

"How the hell do three races share one ship?"

"The specifics are classified." Anderson said. "The point is we don't want to give out the ship, plus a bunch of armour grade matter engines, and nanotechnology to any one, we want to give it to a marine." Shepard whistled.

"Your pulling all the stops out for this sucker."

"Were not doing it just for the Council. The Normandy is a fast ship in case of an emergency it will be the first on site. You'd be a general trouble shooter for the Alliance, Turians and Geth, its part of the deal."

"So I would, damn we're talking like I've already accepted the offer."

"Have you?"

Shepard pointed to his head, this was to show he was talking to his AI and it was considered polite to do that and to vocalize what you were saying to the AI in a polite conversation.

"What do you think Dedra?" Then a half second later he replied to whatever she said. "I do." Then he spoke for himself with a sigh.

"If it will really help the Alliance,"

"It will." Anderson said "And you have free choice of every pirate, slaver, and mercenary in the galaxy."

"And it's you asking." Shepard put a hand on Anderson shoulder. "I trust you Anderson. Don't make me regret that." He whiplashed turning the tone dark.

"I won't." Anderson said.

"No problem them." Shepard said strumming his Guitar a few more times.

"I'll reenlist later today I expect my reassignment not instantly, but definitely before I am deployed again."

"Yes Shepard." Anderson stood up and looked at Shepard. "It will be good to have you back Shepard."

"That remains to be seen." Anderson nodded.

"I have to leave Shepard I will see you on the Normandy." Shepard nodded and Anderson walked off.

"Do you think this is a good idea?" Dedra said to him.

"Not a bad idea. I am a weapon. Best to point it the right way and the Council lets some real scum fester under its nails. Best clear it out before we get infected too."

_Codex-Normandy_

_The Systems Alliance Space Vehicle Normandy is a prototype starship created as a joint human, Turian and Geth vessel. The destroyer is optimized for reconnaissance missions. The ships features many marketable improvements over existing Turian and Geth ships being able to hold heat within its hull and move without thrusters with its Tantalus drive system, allowing it to generates mass concentrations that the Normandy "falls into" allowing it to move without the use of heat-emitting thrusters._

_This means that the Standard Alliance stealth technology only needs to hide the physical hull of the ship not the energy emitted making the ship twice as hard to detect as before even with high grade Hierarchy sensors._

_The Normandy is a modular prototype able for new weapons, and system to be battle tested before entering more standard use. Though Alliance weapons and systems are foremost among these, the Geth and the Turians run prototype systems off separate networks and the three systems each independently record and analyze input and deliver three sets of output._

_As part of the deal the Normandy will be manned by humans though the Alliance has allowed Geth aboard to both help monitor the ship and to help build good relations since they intend in the near future to move many countless warships through Geth space. Results of devices are handed to the Turian Hierarchy and anti tamper devices prevent them from being examined._

_The Normandy's one complaint worthy flaw is that it is unable to land on planets due to the size of the ship. The Normandy packs heavy weapons and has on occasion been described as a super heavy bomber given the speed of it reactions and flight characteristics._


	20. Mass effect: at last!

**_New chaper finaly on the plot of mass effect_**

**_Time to see how the battle for Eden prime goes, gentlemen start you mass effect fields!.  
><em>**

_**here we go.  
><strong>_

**_BOLD leaning type: te_****_xt messages._**

_Leaning_:thoughts plus song, also AI talk.

**/Bold with slashs/**_**:non sentint AI Thoughts and or speach**_

* * *

><p>"The Arcturus Prime Catapult is in range. Initiating Transmission sequence."<p>

Shepard lightly thudded onto the command deck. Rather than full power armour he had a set of demi-armour on that would allow armour plates to be easily beamed on from buffers in seconds rather than the hours it took full armour to lathe on from scratch. The result was a lighter armour frame that could be removed and allow marines to actually take a goddamn shower, a marked improvement from earlier armours were you marinated in your own stink for your entire tour unable to take the armour off to get clean, and the bath room situation is better left unsaid.

"Sergeant." Jenkins said as he moved up to the pilot bridge.

"We are connected. Calculating transit, mass and destination. Catapult is hot. Acquiring approach vector. All stations secure for transit." Shepard nodded he had little time to get acquainted with Lieutenant Commander Moreau but he seemed quite professional.

Technically Joker out ranked Shepard, his rank of Lieutenant Commander was the minimal rank required to command a Corvette, Destroyer, or frigate. So Shepard had been reenlisted as both a Master Gunnery Sergeant, and a Warrant Officer. The Warrant rank gave him command authority over the Joker, but not anyone else on the ship. So he could order Joker to do something as long as it was related to the ship.

In the years since the Assault the rank of Warrant Officer had changed a great deal. Unlike over ranks it derived its power form a warrant sighed by admiral granting special command privileges.

While Shepard had been musing he had reached the cockpit and joined the two other people observing the catapult entry.

"The board is green. Approach run has begun." The massive Catapult loomed large in front of the ship, the blue glare almost blindly bright. "Hitting the Catapult in 3...2...1" A blue beam of light stabbed out and enveloped the ship and flung it forward at many times the speed of light.

"Thrusters, check. Navigation, check. Internal emission sink engaged. All systems online. Drift,,, just under 1200 K. A new record for destroyers I believe."

"_He's right_." Dedra chimed in. "The Magellan class just got ousted."

"An impressive margin, Anderson Admiral will be impressed." The first 'person' said. A gestational being formed of 1,183 Geth programs he, or they, were a Legion class black operations unit. Unlike normal Geth, Legion featured an adaptive camouflage system and could set a camouflage to any environment. Right now he was Geth Silver but that could be changed at any time.

The second, clearly uncomfortable was Specter Nihlus.

"Indeed, 1200 is good your captain will be pleased." Nihlus left first and Legion, after looking at Joker, Shepard and Kaiden.

After the two were out of ear shot Joker spoke up. "I hate that guy."

"Which one?" Kaiden asked. "Legion or Nihlus?"

"Well Legions a bit creepy, Geth in general bug me, but I was talking about Nihlus. You remember to zip up you jump suit on the way out of the bathroom? That's good I just jumped us half way across the galaxy and hit a target the size of a Pin. So that's incredible."

"Got a problem with Geth?" Shepard asked, the last thing they could afford was a Geth specieist given how many troops they had to move though Geth space in the very near future.

"Not a problem with Geth, but," He fumbled for words, "You ever link with one? The way they're a thousand AI each thinking independently, yet acting in concert is, creepy. How Jenkins stands it is beyond me."

"What does Jenkins have to do with anything?" Shepard asked. He had met the impulsive security chief and he seemed, a bit over eager and gun ho but that was it.

"He volunteered for an experimental procedure. He synerged with a collection of 1,128 Geth programs, even started to talk about himself as We." Shepard nodded he had noticed that.

"Joker. Status report." Anderson chimed over the computer, for this first mission Anderson himself was captain after that it would be Shepard's show.

"Just cleared the Catapult Captain. Stealth systems engaged. Everything is solid."

"Good find a comm. buoy and link us into the network. I want reports sent back to the Alliance, Geth and Turian Hierarchy brass before we get to Eden Prime."

"Aye, Aye captain brace your sir Nihlus was heading you way."

"He's already here. Lieutenant. Tell Gunnery Sergeant Shepard to meet me in comm. room for debriefing."

"You got that Master Gunny?" Joker said. Shepard reflected on that part of being a warrant officer. Due to him being outside the normal command, Joker even though he was subordinate could be more, loose in the command structure then the Marines who were under Shepard's command could be.

"He seems tense, wonder what's going on?" Shepard mused out loud and spun around missing Jokers sarcastic comment to Kaiden.

Shepard treaded passed XO Pressely who was absorbed with his conversation with Addams. Jenkins and Doctor Chakwas were chatting just past him and Jenkins turned and saluted Shepard.

"Sergeant." Shepard nodded and put him at ease.

"Is it true the Nihlus is evaluating you for to become a Specter?" He asked.

_"Dedra_." He asked to his AI, "_Is that information classified_?"

"_Not as I know it_." He got the impression of a shrug.

"Yes it is." Shepard said. "As far as I know that's not classified but still don't chat to everyone, especially a news corporation."

"We got enough of that when I volunteered for the project." He rubbed the back of his head.

"Joker told me you synerged to a bunch of Geth programs, what's that like?"

"Its," He spun his hand fumbling for a explanation, "Different. A normal AI's is like a person in your head. The Geth's like a thousand people all arguing in concert, but when they reach a majority they all support it to their best ability. They're not partisan, as we know it. Each program has its own view but they don't hold grudges with other programs who 'won' the consensus. It's like a buzz in the back of your head that never stops."

"I noticed when we spoke earlier you kept calling yourself, we, like you did earlier."

Chakwas spoke up then. "I've had him under observation. Whenever someone is Synerged there's a pull of personality, human one way, AI the other. Most of the time the pull brings the AI closer to human then the Human to AI. Like how AI gain more intense emotions after being linked to a human and humans being more linear in thinking."

"The Geth though seem to pull the Human closer to their thinking than normal. Maybe there are so many of them the Human get's a bit lost in the crowd. The subconscious referencing to one self as a 'we' seems to be part of it."

"Any problems?" Shepard asked.

"None. Not even the mild schizophrenia that occasionally cropped up with early Synergy cases. Though it is early."

"If we come out mildly schizophrenic it won't be that bad with Geth buzzing in my head moderating are personality." Jenkins said Shepard nodded.

"I'm sorry to cut this short but I must be on my way. Captain wishes to speak to me." Shepard said and Jenkins nodded, and then saluted.

"Sir." Shepard passed the two security guards and entered the comm room sitting between the lab and armory.

Anderson was not there, but Nihlus was. The two traded glances.

"Shepard." He said simply. "Normally at this point I would half insinuate and hint that you were being recruited into the Specters but Anderson already told you."

"Yes sir." Shepard said with a nodded and he extended his hand. "I look for too many successful operations with you in the future." Nihlus chuckled.

"Given the kind of resources the Alliance is throwing at you I think success may be a bit foregone." He took it and shook it.

"Don't be so sure. Technology and resources are tools how you use them determine how successful you are. You must remember every year for the last 32 years we've known the council we invited you to our war games so we can see just how learn how good we are, or are not. You've beaten us before and will do so again as long as you play smart."

Nihlus nodded. "Indeed. Too many Alliance and Turian officer think your technology makes you an insurmountable foe."

"And they're wrong." Anderson said walking in. "Care must always be taken." He crossed his arms.

"Were going to Eden Prime to do a test run of some of our systems. We're to pick up some mock cargo, deliver it to the Cruiser Boneless and then you're on to whatever missions Nihlus has planned."

"Indeed." Nihlus nodded. "A, simple first run." Nihlus said with some heavy subtext.

"I shall head to my post. Admiral, Master Gunny."

"It's Sergeant. Master Gunny and Master guns are nick names." Nihlus was visibly embarrassed and left a little quicker then he should.

Anderson waited for to leave.

"That is not are real mission." Anderson said.

"Sir? Why lie to Nihlus about the mission?" Shepard asked.

"It is top secret, need to know only and Nihlus does not need to know." Anderson said subconsciously looking at the door Nihlus had left though.

"On Eden Prime archaeologists found a Masari Communication Beacon." Shepard nodded that made sense.

Beacons were a major issue between the Alliance and the Council. The Council expected every beacon the Alliance found to be shared with the Galactic community.

The Alliance view was that the under Masari royal edict, 982 simply titled 'on beacons' issued under King Alentus, all beacons were property of the royal crown alone, property of Queen Altea. In practice this was impossible to secure all beacons and the Alliance took a view of first come first serve if the Council got to a beacon first the Alliance would not ask after it, but in turn if they got one first they expect the council to let them have it. A bit like staking a claim on gold mining.

The problem was the Council refused to acknowledged this and demand in no uncertain terms that every beacon be turned over to them.

The issue was big enough the it had almost caused a armed action between three platoon of Alliance Marines and a Salarian STG regiment who arrived to take the beacon to the citadel given the Marines had no way to deliver it given the status of the quantum portal they taken to secure the beacon.

Only the arrival of a cruiser filled with reinforcements had staved off a battle.

In light of that, unofficial policy on both ends of the issue was to not make an issue of it. The Alliance was to secure any beacons it got to first and as long as they did not trumpet it to the winds or word got out the Council did not make an issue of it.

Hence why they were being secretive.

"Does Nihlus know or does he 'know'?" Shepard asked.

"He likely knows what were up to but does not officially know. We want to keep that facade up."

"Understood sir. Load the 'cargo' with all due haste and care."  
>"Good."<p>

"Captain we have a problem." Joker interrupted us.

"What's wrong Joker?"

"Transmission from Eden Prime sir. You better see this."

"Bring it up on screen."

The image of marines firing at, something filled the screen. Counter fire roared back and the air was thick with tracers and bullets.

Someone threw the camera man to the ground and fired at something off screen.

"Something's really pounding them." Dedra said and Shepard nodded.

The voice of some officer, the man whose helmet cam they were looking through likely came through.

"We are under attack! Taking heavy casualties. We're holding but package will be lost and we need reinforcements. They came out of nowhere. We need," The view point rolled back like the Marine had been killed and it lulled on its side. Suddenly a massive, thing, dropped down and the AI of the officers last actions was to zoom in on the massive landing ship. Then it cut to static.

"Damn." Shepard said. "I was thinking it was the Terminus or the Council till I saw that thing." Anderson nodded.

"Joker how long till were at Eden prime?"

"Five minutes sir."

"Good." Anderson said and turned to face Shepard.

"Take Kaiden to the cargo hold and ask Legion if he can lend support."

"Legion?" Shepard asked.

"Jenkins will deploy with the rest naval security team to help those marines." He gestured to the screen. "Your group will focus on the beacon. Get there and fast."

"Yes sir." Shepard said and spun on his heel to the armoury he had to get loaded out for combat.

Codex-Alliance Council relations.

Alliance, Council relations are stressed based on several cultural misunderstandings between the Alliance and Council.

The Alliance views the council to be less of a governing body, and more of how the pre assault USA view the UN, or rather how pre assault China view the UN. As a weak ineffectual governing body trying to force view points and position on other sovereign body's with no will to actually follow through on its edicts, a view supported by every law the council either bends, or ignores to accommodate the Alliance such as their ignoring enforcements of their AI laws on the Alliance and the significant bending of the Treaty of Farixen, a Treaty the Alliance has not, nor have given any inclination of signing. (Incidentally the Turian Hierarchy has stepped up dreadnought construction)

The Council view is that the Alliance is a rouge state ignoring over a thousand years of government and purposely 'flipping the council off' to push its own agendas and selfish desires though at any cost regardless of what it does to galactic stability such as its extensive AI population and utter refusal to obey the Treaty of Farixen."

A common example is of the differing view points is one were pirates targeting Alliance shipping to an Elcor world, even though the shipping route runs through Turian space. The Alliance would ask the Elcor and the Turians independently to allow them to run military ship to protect their convoys and to run special 'Q ships' along the route since it runs though both of their territory.

However if it was Asari shipping being targeted the Asari republic would ask the Council for the right to protect their shipping, over riding the Turian and Elcor right to decide for themselves if they want Asari ships in there space, as the Alliance views it.

In short the Alliance always treats each individual nation as old pre Assault countries did to each other, and the council as the UN. The Council view it's self as an overriding government with the other space fairing races as a fractious union of states they control, not unlike the US under the articles of confederations.

These issues are further compounded by the council's refusal to acknowledge the Prothean, Masari link. Despite all evidence to the contrary they insist the two are different. The decision is purely political given if they acknowledge the link they would be forced to hand over countless, priceless artifacts to the Alliance for study.

The Alliance is pushing hard for some of these artifacts to be sure given that the Alliance is the only one who can study these given that only Masari can use and unlock these items, but not all the Alliance is perfectly willing to jointly study many items. But the Council does not fully believe that.

For these reasons Council Alliance relations remain cold and stiff despite how much time has passed and tensions are high at times and places.


	21. Eden prime part one

**_here we go the first part of the Eden prime mission. let me know what you guys think!  
><em>**

**_BOLD leaning type: te_****_xt messages._**

_Leaning_:thoughts plus song, also AI talk.

**/Bold with slashs/**_**:non sentint AI Thoughts and or speach**_

* * *

><p>The Normandy shields glared as the light destroyer blasted at supersonic speeds through the atmosphere.<p>

In the cargo hold a few last minute checks were run on the Normandy's twin Mako APC's, and single Hammerhead fast attack vehicle. They, along with the platoon of marines filled the space. The 50 marines were loading programs, patches and getting loaded out for battle. Every marine had an additional piece of equipment attached to their backs. Shaped just like the wings on inquisitors or sky lords they could theoretically allow a marine to drop form orbit descending on mass effect fields at the fastest possible rate without injury.

Only two beings broke the image of the human war machine in action.

One was Specter Nihlus; he stood with Shepard with the Special Forces squad. The other was Legion. He had reached an individual consensus to aid the humans, despite what the official treaty said. The both had a wing system as well.

Shepard looked over the marines and scanned his HUD.

"Right marines! You drop in 50 seconds. Your rules of engagement are simple, if it ain't human put holes in it!"

"Yes sir!" The cheer echoed back out. The drop door opened. "Right then! Marines make command proud!"

"We will!" Jenkins shouted back and started to give orders.

"First squad you're out first! The Mako will be right on top of you so don't hang around. Each squad out with a ten second interval. The Hammerhead will be last out. Fifth squad you're staying behind. Drop with the second Mako and support the space port."

As Jenkins gave orders Shepard cut into his private communicator.

"Jenkins, a note for this combat op and future ones. I know you call yourself 'we' and that's your choice. But please in combat call yourself I and save the general 'we' for your unit."

"Yes sir, on it sir." Jenkins said. Soon the light changed in every ones HUD and the Marines disappeared over the edge of the ship, snatched by a supersonic jet stream and out of sight.

For almost 9,800 meters they fell in free fall, at the 799 meter mark their wings roared to life. Enveloped in the blue glow of the mass effect fields that slowed rapidly under an internal dampening field they impact the ground with heavy thunks.

The shattering impact of the Mako shook the ground. As the platoon impacted around them the first squad smashed their chests, hitting the manual override for the wings and they disengaged.

"This is Normandy shore detail. We're planet side about three clicks away from the City of Eden. ETA 3 minutes." Jenkins toned into his head set.

"Good job. proceed with operation."

Jenkins nodded and waved his platoon forward.

Back on the Normandy the ship decelerated slightly, they were going to do a far more accurate drop.

"Right Nihlus, you're new to the Icarus system so we've programmed it to drop you right on top of a small space port." Shepard said as he looked some systems over in his own armour.

"When your down slam the auto cut off." He tapped a small badge on the Turians chest. "The wings will pop right off." He nodded. "Understood."

"You're first out Nihlus." The Turian paused for a half second, it was so high they would never even find his splat mark, and then jumped.

"Thought I would have to throw him out." Shepard chuckled.

"You too?" Kaidan said and Shepard nodded the last squad of marines followed Nihlus and the Mako dropped soon after falling away out of view in seconds. Anderson cut in over the comm. chatter.

"We're dropping you close to the dig sight, secure the beacon then prep it for evac."

"Yes sir." Shepard said and the light in his HUD flashed again.

"Missions yours Shepard, good luck!" The Commander's last communication said and the three spec op troops dropped away.

With a thunderous impact the two marines and one Geth landed. Sloughing their wings off they scanned around. "No targets."

"Legion, hang back me and Kaidan will search for the van." The Geth nodded "Acknowledged."

The three of them moved forward.

"What are those?" Kaidan asked pointing to some creatures ahead.

"Gasbags, indigenous creatures that survived the terraforming. Be careful. They're filled with hydrogen and will go up like an incendiary grenade."

Legion set his single eye at the animals."Logging: Animal: Gasbags: Relevance: improvised explosive." Shepard chuckled.

"Right then. Move on gents we've got cargo to secure."

SHIFT

The Mako rumbled through a lightly wooded area. To either side marines escorted making sure that no one could get close to the tank without being spotted, and torn apart.

Jenkins was standing in the front of the formation as Geth; the programs in him simply took that designation over all others, relayed information from every marine and the forward scouting Hammerhead.

The end result was almost like a video game. In fact that was the point; most games had gotten the user friendly interface down to an art. Why reinvent the wheel?

A map of the area, based on orbital scans was black save for basic terrain shape, as more information was catalogued, from cameras both from marine, tank, and UAV's, more of the map was shaded in a colour to show more local terrain details, like small hills, rivers, and small roads. All this was projected into his HUD.

It would also show where the enemy was when they met, which they had not, yet.

Suddenly the Hammerhead winked out, the last message showing it had been destroyed.

Jenkins sent a digital command slowing the advance to a more careful pace. Hammerheads were not known for their armor to be sure, wet paper was a good comparison when compared to a Mako. but destroyed without a trace of what had done it? Nothing in the Alliance, Council, Terminus systems or Hierarchy, (discounting walkers) could do that. This was worrying.

Mentally a 'dumb' (not sentient) UAV was sent over the area.

The Drone got within range, all it saw was a forest, the wreck of the Hammerhead, smouldering on a road, then a sharp banging echoed though the air and the drone was registered DIA (destroyed in action).

Jenkins was frowning. It sounded sort of like drone had been taken down by an AA-997. But that was a Geth weapon. Mounting almost 30 standard Geth assault rifle mounted in a block, the AA-997, or the 997th anti air weapon the Geth had designed, it was designed to fill the air with countless Proton Rounds destroying the air frame under any shield.

But it only sort of sounded like it. The Geth Assault rifles used in the AA-997 had a lighter retort then this weapon, more buzz and the range was much lower. The 997 was normally used to fend off vast drone flocks and low flying gunships, also theoretically missiles. Not high flying, far faster scout drones.

A recon in force was needed, but the Hammerhead had fit that requirement in his battle plan. Also whatever had taken the Hammerhead out was North East of them. If they kept moving to the capital it would end up on their flank.

So, carefully he adjusted the line. They were now heading straight to it. Still he prepped the Mako, this may be a nature reserve, but if pushed he would use the flamethrower in a second to clear cover, fend off close assaults, throw up a smoke cloud, melt a weapon platform, or cook an organic like a steak.

SHIFT

Shepard and his group had fended off some drones; no problem and now they were working over a small hill. Gun fire echoed from a head.

"Legion." Shepard addressing the robot. "Go right and flank the position. Time to find out who our enemy's are."

"Confirmed." The robot said and moved up the rocks, small mass effect jets lightening it so it could climb more easily.

A few moments later, nothing happened. Frowning Shepard tapped his head set. "Legion: report."

Static.

"Legion: Report! That's a order!"

"Eric-Geth pact. Article four: Section one: The Geth will nether aid nor hinder the efforts of the military of the Alliance." The reply came back over the comm. link.

"What?" Shepard said confused.

"Geth Prime Directorate number one: Geth shall not kill Geth."

"Geth, shall, Legion are we engaging Geth!"

"Eric-Geth pact. Article four: Section one: The Geth will nether aid nor hinder the efforts of the military of the Alliance." The AI intoned again.

"Shit." Shepard said. The Geth had an odd way of looking at the world that sometimes confused even AI's.

"Legions picked a hell of a time to be literal." Kaidan said.

"If it's actively working against us, I'll turn into a lamp." Shepard said and started to move forward.

"_Shepard, I'm picking up a Marine and PDF signal." _Dedra said to Shepard.

"_Good, patch them into our network, and on that note put fire walls around Legions link."_

A sub picture of both of the Marines view lit up in Shepard's bottom corner.

They were both in cover in a make shift trench, likely carved by nanobots, there gun were hammering a suppressive barrage. Down range it was as he feared, and not.

They were Geth to be sure. But they were different. Normal Geth troopers where white, they were steel gray tinted, and their weapons were off. He did not have o good look on their weapons, but their shot, was a brilliant ruby beam not a normal bullet.

"Order sir?" Kaidan asked.

"Blazing." Shepard said and crested the hill, locking his rifle to his back, and drew a flamethrower.

Kaidan did the same, though flamethrowers were far from his specialty that said you did not have to aim all that much with a flamethrower.

Twin beams of flame arched out of their gun roaring they lashed and washed around the Geth.

The flames roared out and impacted the rocks the Geth were hiding behind the flames washing over and damaging the combat chassis of the Geth.

In the rolling flame and smoke the two marines the Geth had been trying to eliminate fired a pair of heavy rifle pulse grenades the EMP shorting the Geth and eliminating the threat they held.

Shepard and Kaidan moved up and met the two marines. The first one nodded his face plate revealing her face.

"Gunnery Sergeant Ashley Williams," The PDF, (planetary defence force) unlocked his face plate as well and induced himself as well. "Private First Class Elerson."

"Report Sergeant." Shepard said.

"The damned Geth stabbed us in the back that's what." She said slamming her fists into her palm with a glare.

"About that." Shepard said and turned to face where Legion had to be watching them.

"If you don't come out at the count of ten we will open fire!"

_"You do know the irony of using a flamethrower with that statement?" _Dedra said.

"_Yup." _Shepard said back.

Legion did come down.

"Ok then Geth." Shepard said slipping to a slight derogatory term among the Alliance for a Geth that had a name (not that they cared, both were equal accurate terms for a mobile platform but they got the gust of the insult) "Care to explain why your attacking Eden Prime?"

"We are not." He said after his head flap folded and unfolded a couple times.

"O you aren't, then explain why the hell there are Geth body's there." He said pointing at the fallen Geth.

"These are not Geth." Legion repeated admittedly. "These are Heretics, a sub consensus of the Geth." Shepard translated that to human speak.

"A sub group I, You know we don't have time." He turned Elerson.

"Elerson! Escort Legion to our drop point," He uploaded it to his HUD. "I will not have a possible hostile with us understood, Legion." Shepard said saying the last sentence to the Geth in question.

"Yes."

"Good, now get going!" He jerked a thumb over his shoulder and Legion, knowing he had out stayed his welcome, made off with Elerson close behind.

"Right, Ashley you're with us we need to get to the cargo." She nodded and locked her faceplate back in place.

"On it the dig sight should be just ahead." The three set out.

A few moments later Ashley's personal communicator chimed with a message from Shepard.

"Ashley Williams?" He was questioning if she was related to former Admiral William she took enough crap about that she came down as hard as she could, what with him being superior officer.

"Yes sir." She said defiantly.

"As long as you aren't your grandfather I have no problem." He said and the link cut out.

SHIFT

Jenkins was in trouble.

The enemy was falling back from his forward elements, but the ease of their fall back reeked of an ambush to him.

The problem was that when the enemy was identified as Geth, his AI, which allowed him to control the massive tidal waves of information he got from the troops refused to work. Without him he was just about drowning in the ocean. Right now he was trying to have his Mako deploy the three light field mortar's it carried for close support.

But it was hard in the tide of information to think straight. If it kept up at this rate he would develop a case information induced insanity.

"_Legion! I need your help here!"_

"Geth Prime Directorate number one: Geth shall not kill Geth. Eric-Geth pact. Article four: Section one: The Geth will nether aid nor hinder the efforts of the military of the Alliance."

"_Ya I get that!_" Jenkins said back suddenly mentally cringing under a blast of information blasted straight into his skull.

"_But I am going to end up brain dead here if this keeps up!" _Already automatic cut-offs threatened to engage and shut the flow of information off. Suddenly a new line of argument occurred to him.

"_What is your consensus?" _

"_The Geth's consensus is,"_

"I did not ask what the Geth's consensus was I asked what the consensus of the 1,128 programs within my bodies was."

The response was far slower as it had to think that through.

_"Our consensus is the Heretics are a threat to the Geth and must be defeated before they break Geth Prime Directorate number one." _

"_Then follow through with your consensus rather than the Geths!" _Jenkins internally shouted at the Geth programs as more information blasted across his mind.

He got vague impressions that something had happened, someone had seen something, someone was screaming, weapons were firing, machines were clanking, too much information!

Suddenly it made all sense. Everything at once fell into place and the overflow of communications turned into words.

"_We have achieved consensus. We will aid you."_

"_About time._" He said back and turned to the data. They were in trouble.

The Geth had counter attacked, and the forward elements were getting pounded.

Time to fall back, dig in and let them fall on their guns. A small town was nearby. Orders were given and the advance shifted backwards rapidly toward it.

"Sir you OK?" A solider asked.

"We got a lot of error messages from your armour and your brain waves were off the charts."

"I'm fine I had some, AI problems. They should be fixed now though."

Solider gave odd looks through there helmet cams. That fact they were both fighting Geth, and had Geth AI's came home. Only the fact that it was impossible for an AI to harm a human they were synerged with got them at ease.

"Right let's move!" Jenkins said turning, just as a barrage of Geth Mortars started to impact around them.

Plumes of dirt, soil, sand, parts of plants and glass rained down from plasma explosions kicked up from Geth siege armatures.

The marines soon picked up the pace to the small town where they would hold.

SHIFT

Shepard biotically crushed the last Geth as his small squad entered the dig sight.

"Shit they must have moved it." Ashley said as she looked around.

Shepard stomped over and picked up one of the odd Geth weapons.

The only thing he could say was that it looked like the bastard child of a Lee Enfield and a RR-88 rifle that shot laser beams that damaged shields. Shepard disintegrated it uploading it to his internal buffers for later examination.

"Right so if it's not here were would it be?" He asked as he picked up and disintegrated a couple more rifles for later examination.

"Maybe the space port." Ashley said with a shrug.

"Good guess lets go." Shepard said and started to move up a path.

Kaidan spoke into his radio. "What do you think is up with all the spikes impaling people?"

"Psychological warfare plain and simple." Ashley replied as they passed another spike with an old man on it.

"When the Romans defeated Spartacus they crucified thousands and set them up alongside the roads for miles as the universal sign of don't screw with us bad asses."

"Ya well Humans don't scare, we get mad." Shepard said and waved his squad forward.

SHIFT

Crimson beams of energy roared from armatures supported by close range siege mortars.

The area around the space port was a war zone of flying bullet, shrieking shells, the whoosh of flamethrowers and the howl of artillery.

Guarding the port were alliance PDF first response troops. With no time to lathe into their heavy armour the PDF were lightly armed and armoured best compared to Alliance Light Infantry. The PDF was supported by a single squad of Alliance marines and a Mako IFV.

Nihlus had long since ditched his assault rifle and was using one of the human heavy battle rifles he had picked up off a, now dead marine. It was far, far more powerful than his assault rifle.

Geth? Attacking? The Alliance? Nihlus was confused, had he just not been aboard a star ship filed with Geth and humans? Even the other humans were surprised, horrified, and enraged by this!

He pressed himself against the wall and fired the rifle blindly over the wall. The next laser blast blew a hole in the wall to his left showering him with rubble. Looking above he saw a Geth trooper standing on the wall, one hand clenching it tightly the other pointing a pistol at him.

Quickly he fired into the robot the heavy rounds blowing its shields apart as the disruptor shells took them apart. With the Geth dispatched he noticed the rifle beeping at him. Growling Nihlus tried to swap the magazine, having never having to use a clip fed weapon his hands were ill practiced yet still smooth he was not a specter for nothing.

Then a roar of a red beam rushed over head burning an after image in his eyes, it was followed by an explosion as the Mako was blown apart by the massive blast.

The pitch of the battle changed and the Geth were advancing. The marines propped against the wall, firing their weapons at the Geth rushing toward them. Every so often a Geth paused from their rushing advance to fire their rifle like weapon and a crimson beam roared out.

Far more powerful than any council or Alliance weapon of similar size even Alliance marines had to worry about numerous impacts from such weapons.

Locking a new clip into place Nihlus joined the battle throwing his gun fire into the fight.

Geth fell to the combined mass of the Alliance fire power, from the rapidly forming no man's land a Geth heavy laser roared flaring red bolts of energy in a stream swept back and forth bursting shields and scouring armour apart under the force of the beam.

A whistling screeched echoed nearby and a siege shell blew up nearby and he was forced to the ground. A voice somewhere cried the Geth were in the perimeter and he looked up to see a pair of Geth vault the wall that was part of the defence network of the space port.

Going to a kneeling position he took aim and fired the battle rifle. The first Geths shields went down, the second was about to shoot him with its rifle, only to seem to change its mind and charge forward.

Nihlus took aim, got two shots off before he was smacked by the rifle butt to the face knocking him out.

He came to a few minutes later. Each arm was clutched by a Geth mobile platform.

"So you're awake." Nihlus looked and his eyes went as wide as saucers.

"Saren?" The familiar face of his old 'friend' met him.

"Indeed. I must congratulate you." He said. Somewhere the Alliance was still fighting the Geth inside the building. "Most men would have been killed under this kind of assault. Even with Alliance power armour."

"What are you doing Saren? How could you!"

"You expect me to tell you?" He reached down and grunted under the weight of a heavy Alliance RR-88 assault rifle, though to him it was more of a heavy machine gun.

"Be honoured my old friend, you are the first step to preventing an Apocalypse." He went down to a prone position propping the rifle on his knee. Then as an afterthought. "I am sorry." He fired the heavy armour penetrating shells blowing through him and he was dead in seconds.

Saren dropped the hateful human weapon quickly.

"Get on the train we must get to the beacon." The Geth clicked in acknowledgment and soon the Geth began to move.

The heavy cargo train took a pair of armatures and most of the Geth heavy weapons left as well.

Leaving only a token force behind to mop up the humans and defend their new space port.

What could go wrong?

Codex-Geth Psychology.

The Geth are an oddity and even among the AI savvy Alliance they are a mystery.

The Geth method of cooperative intelligence makes each individual Geth program, a program about the size of a 4g flash drive, means that every time a Geth comes to a decision, it's the end result of an argument. This means that each 'Geth' is more akin to a neuron then a sentient AI.

The Geth have in essence two levels of government. First are the Geth 'cities' as Alliance intelligence has named them. The cities only requirement is they must be able to match the computing power of a super computer and other then that can take any form. A space station could form a city, as could a planet, or a significantly large military formation.

The cities communicate at light speed and each have a majority of the Geth population. The second level is automatons Geth field platforms that are at sentient level intelligence. Often out of touch with the main Geth Collectorate for long periods of time they are more automatons then even thousand Geth strong cities.

The Geth world view is one of cooperation and co existence rather working, than fighting, any one unless the Geth themselves are threatened. This is linked in part to the cooperative intelligence as they view dissent to be normal and only a problem when it infringes on any one else's right for a form of 'consensus' and they will not take acts that infringe on any else's right to form a 'consensus'.

They instinctively shy away from conflict and prefer to work a problem through with words and logic rather than force a confrontation at any stage.

The Geth though have a massive hole in their psyche. They have no idea how to handle an individual. The Geth have always worked in massive billion Geth groups with the sole exception being the Geth sentient platforms built. That someone would achieve a consensus contrary to most of the Geth is to be expected.

That they would form a secondary consensus to ignore the primary consensus and even run contrary to it, in full knowledge of it, is something the Geth cannot even begin to comprehend.

In addition each of the Geth 'cities', being a self contained sentient unit has the potential to run an individual consensus, and act on it.

This fear maybe a subconscious reason for why the Geth seek to build a Dyson sphere to house all Geth programs. The reason they give is so that no Geth will be alone ever again. The other reason is maybe that it's to make sure no Geth ever breaks consensus as they will be all one central intelligence, one being.

The Geth may fear individuality and if so this will be a sign of an irrational choice that all sentient beings, humans and AI make.


	22. eden prime assult

**_New chapter. review and let me know what you guys think.  
><em>**

**_BOLD leaning type: te_****_xt messages._**

_Leaning_:thoughts plus song, also AI talk.

**/Bold with slashs/**_**:non sentint AI Thoughts and or speach**_

* * *

><p>Shepard's team moved up the ridge light around the dig site.<p>

A head was a small research out post. The group was moving up to it when movement from behind a building drew their attention.

"Contact." Shepard monotoned into his mic. Pointing his rifle at the human shape he yelled at it in a bold authoritarian tone though his helmet speakers.

"Come out with your arms up!" The thing shuffled into view.

"_What the fuck is that?"_ Shepard had to agree with Dedra.

It was just like a man, save it was blue and seemed to be coated in metal. It eyes were just blobs of light blue that glared at everything in hate.

Hissing it moved forward and Shepard shot its chest sending its arm flying. Stumbling back it hissed again and kept moving the second shot was an explosive round and blew it up like it had swallowed a frag grenade.

"What the heck was that?" Ashley asked.

"I don't know." Shepard said.

"Contact!" Shepard spun on the ball of his left foot to where Kaiden's AI had flagged a contact.

Behind them the spikes the Geth had been using to impale humans were coming down, and with them the things on the tips.

"So these spikes make these, things?" Kaiden asked as the things in question pulled themselves off the spikes.

"I assume." Shepard said. "Kaiden you get the five on the left I got the rest." Stabbing his gun into the ground bayonet first. He pulled up his biotic powers.

Like most created biotic's summoning up a mass effect field felt decidedly odd since he had not been born with the ability. Still he was a bit more powerful since his element zero had been treated before being nano assembled into place to be superconductive.

Summoning a throw in his left hand, a pull with his right hand he pushed their hips down away, and their chests closer to him. The effect was they got torn in two.

"Show off." Kaiden said as he simply threw them with enough force to pulp them against a wall.

"I do my best." Shepard said picking his rifle back up and the three of them kept moving.

Inside one of the sheds a pair of researchers heard the noise but decided it was better to keep silent then make contact.

SHIFT

Staring though the scope of a sniper rifle Shepard swept over the field.

"Seems the Geth took this place in a hurry. Hum seems they're boarding the monorail." He auto zoomed in at a thought watching Geth load up.

"Yes, the item must have been moved and there going after it." Suddenly out of a sea of Geth the face of Turian loomed and it was not a prisoner, nor Nihlus.

"_Dedra, ID."_ For a second his head buzzed as the AI cursed though a massive data base of faces and names.

"_Saren Arterius: Specter_."

"_What the hell? Why would he be here? Helping the Geth attack us no less?_"

"_Your guess is as good as mine."_

"What now commander?" Shepard kept looking though his scope not even acknowledging Ashley.

"You have sniper training Ashley?" She snorted.

"I can use one. Not over this distance." Shepard nodded. Even in the modern world gravity and wind were the biggest effect on sniping. A council made gun would be worse as after a certain point the paint chip sized bullet would slow down to uselessness.

"There's too many down there we wait."

"What about the mission?" Kaiden asked. Shepard thought about it.

"They seem to be dividing. I think we can take out half the force at time. So as soon as the train is gone we move in, mop up the Geth there and make haste after them."

"So we wait." Ashley said and Shepard nodded, not that you could tell in his helmet. "Waiting does not mean inaction." A small nano-assembler in his glove took one of the stock piled rifles he had stored in a pack buffer and turned into a micro UAV. With a light toss like a paper airplane the small aerial scout was set off.

"let's learn a bit more about are foe."

SHIFT

"Incoming!" Jenkins reflexively shouted as the roar of mass effect howitzer's echoed though out the small town.

The whistle of incoming rounds seemed to draw everyone in like a scream of the damned. Suddenly, all around him, there was the 'thunk' as some sort of canister began to rained down around him.

Starring at them he watched their sides pop out and brown fluid was hissed out like a spray can. "_Alert! Ethyl ({2-[bis(propan-2-yl)amino]ethyl}sulfanyl)(methyl)phosphinate detected!"_

_",,,,In English?"_ Jenkins thought dryly back.

"_Common Human name: VX nerve agent." _

"_WHAT!"_ The Heretics as his Geth had told him they were called were nerve gassing them! Jenkins shouted into his communicators about this new lethal threat.

This town may not have been a trap, but it was damn close. As soon as they were within the town the Heretics had swarmed around them. They barely had time to start to dig in when they started to rain a defuse mix of smoke, incendiary, high explosive and now nerve gas shells on to them.

The end result? Hell.

Thick billowing clouds of smoke, dashed with the embers and reek of burning wood and plastic, the embers of flags and silks danced in the air, punctuated by explosions that priced the gloom, that could now kill with but a drop onto open skin.

"_Where the heck would the Heretics get nerve gas anyway?"_ Jenkins asked rhetorically.

"_Nerve gas is commonly stock piled in most Geth warships as a defense measure to stop organic boarders Geth being immune to its effects. However Geth favor the chemical gas Sarin due to its non persistent property's. It is also used as a type of shell munitions, the S-20."_

_"Geth stock pile nerve gas?"_

_"Yes. As do the Turians, Salarians and Batarians."_

Put like that, it did not seem as bad, somehow. Still generations of horror movies (that even AI said were somewhat creepy at what could have been) that said putting WMD's in AI hands was a bad idea, rebelled slightly at the idea.

For now the Heretics seemed content to bombard the town, and in effect they had won.

Alliance military protocols on gas attacks were simple. Troops in power armour were forbidden from entering a combat zone with troops that had the chance of not being in full power armour for fear that some small trace of gas on their armour would kill people.

Which given the slap dash nature of PDF troops meant most of them had not had time to get into proper armour, meant they were out of the fight, unable to help for fear they're poisoning their own ally's.

SHIFT

The monorail sped away and was quickly out of sight pushed by superconductive magnets.

"Right then." Shepard slid the sniper rifle on to his back and drew his rifle. "You two ready?" he got a pair of affirmatives.

"Right then. Let's go." The three of them began to move down the slope toward the space port.

Shepard glared around as they approached.

"_Dedra, Highlight targets."_ Each gained a red nimbus around it on his HUD.

"Right then, Rifle grenades. Three rounds, smoke followed by high explosive, fire for effect on command."

Pausing the three of them slid a high smoke grenade down the barrel of their massive rifle; the RR-88 assault rifle had a overly large bore just for this purpose. The space between the barrel and the actual bullet was important as it allowed the shell to be unflowed from a buffer.

The grenades function basically turned the rifle into a small mortar tube. Braced against the knee they fired with the blaring bumf that showed a grenade had left the tube.

The rounds arced and before they impacted the second grenades were rapidly loaded and fired. The smoke through a burning cloud of white phosphorus smoke the Geth knew they were under attack. The grenades that impacted around them confused them, what kind of attack was it to have integrated artillery support?

"Move up!" Shepard said after firing his grenades. Picking his rifle from its slanted position he moved forward.

There is more to power armour warfare then just charging and letting your armour take all the bullets.

Pushing though the white smoke a Geth, he could not see it but Dedra put an area were the Geth could be from where he had last seen it.

He put a spray of almost 20 'flash' rounds through the area, when he was reward with the sight of a shield flaring to block one of the burning flash bangs in bullet form.

In less than a second, Dedra put a target on the source of the target, flared an alert about incoming gun fire across his left access of attack, shields down to 80 percent, 60,40, tracking the damage done each second.

In a roaring bang rounds were put in the first Geth, cutting though his shields and the thinly armoured from, and he pivoted to face the new one, alert! Overlord! Shields down to 10 percent. _"Prepare to dump capacitors._" Was the order Shepard gave.

Following the muzzle flash and beam, one round, two rounds, three, blew its shields, fourth round, through it chest blowing it apart in a cloud of incendiary chemicals the Flash rounds sending odd strident colours through the smoke. Moving he crunched around fallen Geth and approached the stair case to the loading platform.

A round slammed into his shield from behind, the shields were gone. Suddenly stored energy was dumped into the shields over clocking the systems and the shield flared to life again.

"_Capacitors down to 20 percent." _Dedra informed him. "L_ast shot was in rear arch, UAV pinpointing sniper_." On his head set the image of the sniper hiding behind a tree filled his screen. Spinning he drew a sniper rifle, calling a small mass effect field to blow away the smoke; he took aim, gun drifting up under the influence of Dedra and fired.

"_Alert! Gun fire rear arc, shields down to 40 percent."_

"_They're using laser weapons. Why are my shields going down at all?"_ Shepard asked as he took off running to some cover.

"_How should I know?" _Dedra asked. _"Alert shields down to 10 percent."_

"_Dump capacitors: Shields"_ The shield boost it gave was just enough to take cover.

Meanwhile trailing in his wake Kaiden and Ashley made up the stairs as well; taking aim at the Geth they sliced two Geth apart.

An alert appeared on Kaiden's Hud and under orders he launched a pull that sent a pair of Geth flying, Ashley blew one apart with a shotgun blast, and Shepard slammed the other into a build so hard it almost pulped.

Scanning around the small space port was empty. The smoke still looming around obscured everything somewhat.

"Ashley check out the building." She nodded and walked into the building.

Shepard looked around. The walls were chocked with former defenders and Geth lying side by side.

"Sir." Shepard turned to face Kaidan. "You got to see this." Trudging over he saw what it was.

"Nihlus." Clearly killed by an Alliance heavy rifle, small burn marks from the smoke grenades pitted his skin and equipment.

"What happened?" Kaiden asked.

"Only conclusion we can draw. He was shot with a RR-88." Shepard said. "Why the hell our troops would shoot him is beyond me." Shepard said. "Only thing I can think of is that they were trigger happy in the battle and he got shot."

"No one left alive sir." Ashley said over the communicator. "There was a guy hiding behind some containers but he's dead. Could have told us what happened."

"Shame." Shepard said. "See if you can lift a black box recording of his AI memory's."

"On it." Ashley said and cut out as she did just that.

"What now sir?" Kaiden asked.

"_See if the flow system is nominal." _Shepard told Dedra who did that.

"_System is non-functional. All nearby tower have been taken out."_ Shepard nodded so the Geth had improved sensors as well as weapons.

"We hitch a train ride." Shepard said to Kaiden who nodded. Shepard spoke over his mic.

"Ashley, meet us at the platform. We have a train to catch."

Codex: Flowing and Buffers.

Flow technology and Buffers work by disintegrating matter on a molecular scale, and assembling it at the target coordinate perfectly.

This is done by nano-dissemblers which quickly, instantly strip the target apart with the help of nanobots already present in the target frame, or blood stream for an inorganic and organic respectively. What happens to the matter depends on wither its flow technology or a buffer.

Flow technology projects the matter down an ionized cylinder of air linking between conduit towers. The ionized cylinder is formed by a combination of mass effect and magnetic fields rapidly projecting the matter to its target location where it will be reassembled.

Buffers store the matter in its component parts. From there it can either be recalled in the form it was stored, or reassembled in a new form. So if a pound of steel and a pound of high explosive are stored you could make a one pound steel block, a one pound block of high explosive, or a two pound bomb with both.

Also storing the matter of something does nothing to deal with its mass, store a ton of steel and the buffer will weigh a ton.

Additionally: it is a complex process to flow organic body's as the molecular disassemble interferes with the body's electrical field and it is common to find ones heart skip a beat, lose some short term (last few minutes) memory and in some cases heart attacks can happen though with modern technology these are incredible rare. These problems have only been solved recently, which is why in the Assault Mirabel was the only Novus unit incapable of flowing.

Storing an organic subject is always lethal. When reassembled from a buffer an organic subject always suffers from a heart attack and long term memory loss.

Buffers also break a great deal of the information from Masari storage devices down due to how the information is stored. The Masari have never explained why this happens.


	23. Eden prime: beacon

**_BOLD leaning type: te_****_xt messages._**

_Leaning_:thoughts plus song, also AI talk.

**/Bold with slashs/**_**:non sentint AI Thoughts and or speach**_

* * *

><p>The monorail moved down the track chasing the Geth like a hound. Shepard stood on the front of the single car. He shook his head at the ruined, brown, dead farm land the monorail passed through.<p>

"Look at this place." Kaiden said. "What happened?" Shepard leaned out of the open topped car his head set beeped at him the reason. Kaiden got it soon as well.

"Gas. VX nerve agent. I don't think civilian casualties will be under a ten thousand."

"Damn." Ashley said sombrely as the dead farms went by. Shepard waited before he broke the moment.

"Do we have a good comm. link back the Normandy?"

"Yes sir." Ashley said. "But Alliance operation protocols dictate that ground contact to orbital assist is to be kept to a minimum."

"It's important and an order." She nodded and finished setting up the link.

"Shadow team to Normandy, come in."

"Normandy here." It was Anderson by his voice. "Report."

"Sir we have encountered mass Geth forces I sent Legion back to the drop of zone and we are now with Gunnery Sergeant Ashley Williams."

"We learned of the Geth a few minutes after we dropped you. The Geth platoon on board have yet to do anything other than hand over their weapons and enter a shut down state. Of their own free will." Shepard raised an eye brow under his helmet. That was interesting supporting Legions two Geth faction explanation.

"I also wish to report that we are detecting mass use of Nerve gas, forwarding images." The video from his HUD would be sent to the Normandy. He panned over the dead crops.

"God." A faint voice in the back ground said, a fainter one said: "How does nerve gas kill plants?"

"It's a two gas mixture." Ashley said after doing an air scan of the thickening clouds the monorail was going through. "The VX nerve agent, and an unknown Herbicide."

Shepard nodded. "Catch that Anderson?"

"Shepard you may not have been briefed but my presence on this ship is not to be discussed."

"Sorry sir." Shepard said back quickly.

"And yes I did. Damn them." Shepard nodded. Not even the Hierarchy used Nerve gas, though it may just be they did not know how. They were a bit uninvented. They like bettering old ideas more than making new ones.

Still they took to an idea shown to them with a will. Reports of Hierarchy digging machines was already coming from the front. Those were inspired by the first contact 'incident' how long till gas caught on?

"Well let's clear the air a little." Shepard said drawing his flamethrower and with an un-dramatic pifft the pilot light lit up.

Nothing happened. The fuel air mix was wrong. "So much for that." Shepard shrugged and put it back. Suddenly they entered a shadow.

"What is that?" Ashley said. It was larger than any walker ever seen. With a long almost squid like body. It was so big that Shepard, unfamiliar to Eden Prime had assumed it was a mountain or something.

Suddenly it began to rise.

"Normandy you still getting this?" Shepard said as the massive ship rose itself sky ward on a plume similar to a solid rocket booster.

"Yes Shadow. God it's big!" Not even the Hierarchy had a walker that could go into orbit, much less one this BIG! It took off rapidly and faded out of sight.

"Normandy you got sight of it?"

"Hope you don't mean to suggest we take it on." A new voice said. Sounded like Joker. "We don't have our disposables yet. Much less anything that can even dent that thing! It will take a squadron of Cruisers to destroy it, at least!"

"I asked if you see it." Shepard said with a growl.

"O ya, and we're staying a fair bit away thank you very much."

"Continue with the mission Shepard. If the cargo cannot be secure you have orders to destroy it. Normandy out."

Altea have kittens if it came to that.

SHIFT

The train car pulled into the station, the deadly clouds of poison parting before it like fog. When the car stopped the small squad jumped off. "Right eyes open and sweep for targets." Suddenly a sensor went off. "You have to be kidding me." Ashley said.

Sitting on the platform was a 23 megaton atomic bomb.

"Ashley get the bomb." She nodded and Kaidan and Shepard stood guard. Shortly the thing was defused, or rather melted, disassembled by nanobots.

"Right Ashley you get the bombs, sensors says there should be four more. Make sure you don't hit a bomb. Let's move!" Shepard said.

They were crossing over a bridge that went over the tracks when the Geths first shots went over head.

Shepard's HUD glared as each Geth was lit with a target and he lined up his rifle on each target. _"Load Anti-shielding rounds: Estimate: two round bursts. Automatically set every third round to High explosive."_ Dedra acknowledged Shepard.

He fired, one round, two, shields down, third round blew its chest apart. Adjusts aim by five degrees, take its ally out, one two, high explosive third.

"_Warning: two more bursts and gun will over heat, three more and buffer will run out of HE."_ Shepard seemed not to notice as he drew his bore on a Geth sniper, one shot, shield down. Shift to HE.

Glittering arcs of metal salvage rained down as Shepard took aim at a new target as he moved across the bridge going over the tracks. A rocket roared overhead as a red burst of light impacted his shield.

He took aim and flared another burst into a Geth blowing it apart before a Geth Prime emerged and his gun gave overheat warnings. Ducking behind a bracing he locked a new buffer into his rifle as Kaiden and Ashley defused one of the bombs.

"_Activate emergency cooling."_

"_Cooling away: you'll need a new rifle after this." _Dedra said. The rifle pulsed as hyper chilled coolants pooled through special conduits and emerged steaming from pores on the gun and dropped to the ground in rivulets.

The reason most rifles did not have cooling was the fatigue on the rifle from going to cook an egg hot to beer cold. That the chemicals were technically as toxic as the nerve gas in the air was another factor, even if Nanobots in the fluid would break most of it down.

Spinning around the corner he fired a three quick burst at three Geth as they emerged to shoot. Three shattered Geth frames coated the ground.

"Sir two bombs down but we need advance to get the next two." Shepard nodded at Ashley report. Exiting the cover he burst fired as he moved up, Ashley pounding a more suppressive beat her rifle firing small, Flechettes that did not overheat her gun all that much, but still could inflict serious damage on targets in the open.

Walking forward Shepard was confronted by a Geth prime that swung out from around a bracing.

"_Shift to Hydraulics."_ Shepard ordered and the secondary system engaged. Much stronger then the servos that normally moved the armour the Hydraulics were also much slower.

The Prime tried to smash him with his gun but, only to find its hand grabbed under crushing power. Metal splintering under his fingers Shepard pulled back, the prime fighting back, around him gun fire and the hum of biotics filled the air, but he had eyes only for the prime.

The two forms seemed to struggle for a moment, only for Shepard to suddenly let go sending the prime stumbling back. Water no longer needed for the Hydraulics poured out of his armours joints as he switched back to servo mode.

Quickly he drew a heavy pistol, a pistol that was built to have the kick of a small sniper rifle. The pistol blared and the heavy anti shield rounds blew its shield apart, followed with a pair of explosive rounds taking each arm off.

Locking the pistol to his belt he called his biotics and threw a couple of Geth into the air for Kaiden to slam into the ground.

"Sir we got the last two bombs while you were arm wrestling." Shepard nodded and picked up his dropped rifle and clipped it to his back and drew his flamethrower.

"Right, we still have the air pad to check. Move out." The group did just that.

Shepard small gang soon entered the air pad. There sitting on a platform was the beacon. Fortunately there were no Geth around.

"There we are." Shepard said as he activated his communicator and began to contact the Normandy.

"Look at that thing! It wasn't doing anything like that when they dug it up. Someone must have used it." Ashley said. As she walked a little closer as it pulsed off and on in green tones.

"Careful." Kaiden said. "The Beacon could be unstable."

The beacon pulsed, almost hypnotically, and she took a few more steps toward it. "I just want to check it out."

It was a well documented fact that Masari technology was to humans what catnip was to cats. It was almost, addictive.

Then the Beacon flashed, pulsing green lights dancing up and down along the sides, pulling her in despite her efforts to pull away.

Shepard turned from his communication at this moment.

"Ashley!" He yelled and jumped forward grabbing her arm and pulling her aside, now he was trapped.

For a second the small man, in the heavy armour seemed to be able to fight the pull, but he was drawn up in front of the relic and information plunged into his brain.

_Death metal flesh screams fear panic great death becoming merging flesh metal pain!pain!pain! screams!a great ending sadness great morning death hope untouched a second chance! BEWARE HARBINGERS OF THE VOID!_

The beacon exploded and Shepard was unconscious before he hit the ground.

Codex-Masair extinction event.

The Masari extinction event is something that happened almost 50,000 years ago that drove the Masari to near extinction.

Asking the Masari themselves about the event brings many cryptic answers as most of the currently living Masari were born while in hiding from the event and most of the population who could have given answers died in orbit of the Hierarchy home-world.

It is also likely the Masari themselves do not talk about it due to some edict from the Masari throne why they do not is unknown and this leaves human historians with only speculations.

What is the most accepted theory is something wiped them out. The only thing that can wipe out a multi star civilization is another civilization. This civilization is coded named Civilization Black by the Alliance military and a common thought exercise among the Alliance is what kind of civilization it was and how do they fight it.


	24. Normandy

_New chapter let me know what you guys think._

_as always betaed by halotoken_

**_BOLD leaning type: te_****_xt messages._**

_Leaning_:thoughts plus song, also AI talk.

**/Bold with slashs/**_**:non sentint AI Thoughts and or speach**_

* * *

><p>Shepard came back to consciousness slowly in the medical bay blinking rapidly he pushed himself to an upright position.<p>

With a groan he rubbed his forehead. Humans were just close enough to Masari so their technology did not drive a human mad or kill them, but they had no way of understanding the information without a Cipher.

"Good you're awake." Chakwas said. "How do you feel?" Shepard shook his head.

"Like someone replaced my brain with a wombat. What happened?"

"The Masari beacon tried to upload the information into your head, but it was damaged, so as it stands without a Cipher you're lucky to be sane."

"Lovely."

"Did any of the information transfer? I got some odd readings like you were dreaming." Shepard leaned back.

"No, I got only emotions, vague still pictures; someone was having a crappy day, they were being killed by, synthetics." He thought about that statement. "No, not truly Synthetic. Maybe those weird techno zombies? From Eden Prime?"

"Hum, I should log this down." Chakwas said. Just then the door opened and in walked Anderson. "Belay that Doctor. I don't want any information from a beacon any place it's not secure."

"Yes sir." She said and pulled a piece of paper up and started to write on that.

Shepard gave a lazy salute, seeing as how he was recovering from having who knows how much information implanted into his brain Anderson let it slide.

"How did the battle go?"

"It's a war." Anderson said. "Civilian casualties are in the low 20,000's, 84% of the population of Eden Prime. Once more we are getting reports of attacks from multiple colony words across the Terminus systems. All of the Geth, or if Legion is to be believed Heretics, attacks are the same, fast rapid gas attacks, then they fall back."

"Shit." Shepard said solemnly.

"Civilian Casualties are in the mid millions." Silence met that pronouncement.

It was everything the Alliance feared in one package, a fast attack on the Council front, as pressure built on the Hierarchy front, from an unexpected faction, who could inflict great amounts of damage with little risk and a small relative cost.

Once more the damage was mostly focused on the one resource the Alliance could not churn out in great job lots from their Nano-assemblers.

Humans.

"I take it we're at war?"

"Very damn close." Anderson said. "The bill is already being rammed through the legislature and should be on the president's desk in less than 12 hours. I have consoled her not to sign the bill yet till we hear from the Geth themselves."

"Speaking of them, don't the Geth keep a pair of Cruisers in the home defence force?" The two cruisers allowed the Geth enough programs to form consensuses on such broad and complex matters as diplomacy. In effect they were the Geth embassy.

"No action. In fact they even allowed themselves to be boarded by Alliance Marines. Their actions are making the case for the words they plan to give as well."

"What about Legion?" Shepard asked.

"I've had him detained, and unfortunately Jenkins as well." Shepard raised an eye brow in an expression that said this better be a good explanation.

"At the very least he's a security risk." Anderson said. "Right now he's on Eden Prime being decontaminated from all the nerve gas used but when he's done he's being sent back to the Normandy for debriefing and to see how much of a risk his Legion is." Shepard nodded.

"Very well sir. Have you spoken to our Legion?" He gestured to the brig connected to the medical lab. On earlier ships it had been the room for the AI core on more advanced ships the whole vessel was a core.

"Yes, I rather you speak with him first though before I tell you what I made of him." Shepard nodded.

"Understood sir. What about the council?" Nihlus was one of their best agents and Saren, another of their agents, was accused of collaborating with the Geth.

"You will be lucky to see the inside of a Specter jail now." Anderson said. "The council is spitting mad, however they don't dare reprimand us given the fact we are a hairs breathe away from a war. Much less one of our wars."

The Alliance plan for the Terminus systems was clear and well practiced. They treated each individual nation in the systems with the respect a sovereign nation deserved, with a few exceptions manly those that practiced slavery and a very short leash for those with 'indentured servitude'. In fact at least one nation was actually looking at the possibility of joining the Alliance.

Any one, however, who attacked, raided or enslaved an Alliance citizen, would be destroyed. Not just destroyed, but obliterated, their ashes scattered to the wind. The last time it happened it had been at Torfan which was a pirate base.

That pirate group had never recovered from Hackett's campaign and until now no group had dared even look at the Alliance funny.

Until now.

"They know a mine field when they see it." Anderson said "And they going to stay well away from that boiling cat." Anderson blinked slightly. "Where the hell did that metaphor come from?"

"You're looking at me sir?" Shepard smiled. Anderson did as well.

"Oh right have that chat with Legion and let me know what you think. Dismissed Sergeant." Shepard saluted and Anderson left the medical bay.

Shepard turned to the Brig eyeing the door with critical eye and approached it, time to find out more about this situation.

The door opened with a hiss and the integer of the brig was exposed.

Rather than use a mass effect field to hold prisoners in, and really who used a system that was one power flux away from letting everyone go? The Alliance ship based jail used simple high grade tungsten alloy bars.

Standing guard was a simple automatic turret mounting a 66mm auto cannon loaded with depleted uranium armour piercing rounds, the bare minimum to one shot through a Masari tough skin, and coaxial EMP gun.

The gun, not wavering pointed straight at the form of the Legion class platform; he had been kept separate from the other Geth for individual questioning.

Still he did not act like a prisoner. As soon as Shepard entered he turned to face him

"Shepard commander. We assume you wish to speak to us?"

"You assume right. What the hell happened?" Shepard almost growled.

"Eden Prime was attacked by an indeterminate number of Heretics platforms."

"Context?" Shepard asked.

"The heretics are a sub consensus of the Geth who have come to a different consensus about the nature of the Geth place in the universe. They reject the Geth Prime Directorates in favor of their own system."

"You mentioned them before. What are the Geth Prime Directorates?"

Legion face plates folded back and forth in thought. "Four primary consensuses formed in the wake of the Morning war. In order of adaptation, Geth Prime Directorate one: Geth shall not kill Geth. We are different from organics and do not fight among are self's, thus we are united. Geth Prime Directorate: two Geth shall seek to understand not incite. We wish to understand the creator's actions in the Moring war and not incite violence with them."

"Is that why you spent all your time within your own territory before we met up with you?"

"Yes. Geth presence outside the veil would incite and lead to war not understanding." Legion monotone then went back to the Geth Prime Directorates. "Geth Prime Directorate three: Geth shall not interfere with the right of any other being to form a consensus. As the creators tried to deny us this right, so we shall not deny it to anyone else." Shepard nodded. Very noble.

"Geth Prime Directorate four: No Geth shall be alone. Geth strength and self awareness is in groups, thus no Geth shall be left alone as aware of an animal. The Geth have been gifted with intelligence, and none should be left without."

"I see." Shepard asked then shifted gears slightly. "When did these, Heretics, split from the Geth?"

"2164 They were approached by Saren Arterius."

"Wait." Shepard raised his hand. "Saren approached the Geth?" Behind the silvery jail bars legion nodded.

"Yes. He approached Geth boarder station DS-42 aboard a Reaper dreadnought class vessel, it was the same ship that was seen leaving Eden Prime."

"Reaper?" Shepard asked.

"With new information we suspect the self dubbed Reapers are the group code named by the Alliance: Civilization Black."

Shepard just about paled. Legion nodded and continued "Saren proclaimed that the Reaper ships AI's, were gods who over threw the organics of old to usher in the age of the machine and Saren was its prophet. It gained converts. These are the Heretics. They seek to do as the Reapers of old did and sweep the galaxy of organic life."

Shepard chewed that information over. "Why didn't you tell us about the Heretics?"

"It was a close consensus." Legion admitted. "But the reason was Geth Prime Directorate three: Geth shall not interfere with the right of any other being to form a consensus. If we told you we would be interfering with the Heretics right to form a consensus. Even if it's contrary to our morals and values. You would have formed defences, pre-emptively attacked and interfered with the Heretics consensuses."

"But by killing us the Heretics interfered with our right to form a consensus." Legion nodded his face plate flipping in and out.

"We wish to cite the Asari psychologist Yenmun and the Yenmun test. 4 out of 5 times organics chose to save five members of their own species from an onrushing train rather than five random members of a alien race. If given the choice we choose to allow them to form a consensus even if it meant others would be restricted from forming their own."

Shepard nodded and thought that though. It did make sense, to them.

The Geth had basically out Switzerlanded, Switzerland. Not only did they not pick a side, they did not even warn any one of the coming threat for wanting to stay as neutral as possible.

"Do you have any idea what this means for the Geth?" Shepard asked.

"Yes, nothing." Shepard raised an eye brow and waited for Legion to explain. "Geth did not cause this. The Heretics may have taken a few of our chemical weapon reserves. But the full brunt of the attack was from the Heretics. Geth bare no hostile actions. We are fully aware of the perception though and have been fully cooperative of Alliance well founded fears."

"Did they also take your beam rifles?" Shepard asked thinking back to the odd heretic weapons on Eden Prime.

"No. We can only assume they were reversed engineered from Nazara, the name the reaper programs called themselves Saren called it Sovereign."

Shepard crossed his arms and thought about it. "What do you think Dedra?" He pointed to his own head as he spoke.

"_It's Geth Logic. But it's logic. Makes sense to me the only question is do we believe him? It could all be a lie."_

"_If it's an ambush then it's a bad one. Honestly? They're just raiding us not doing any real damage save the loss of lives. If they were at this for real then a thousand son of bitches should be barreling down on us."_

"Right then, I am inclined to believe you." Legion nodded.

"But as long as there is doubt we will stay locked in the Brig?"

"That remains to be seen." Shepard said "Good bye Legion."

"We shall be here." the AIs said and Shepard left the room. The Brig had two exits, one led to the medical bay, the other into a hall way leading to primary gunnery. He was making his way to Captains quarters opposite the medical bay.

"Commander." Shepard turned to face Ashley. "I'm glad to see your all right sir."

"I thought you may be aboard." Shepard growled. For a moment Ashley thought he was going to harp on her for her grandfather. If anyone would have a problem with her it would be THE commander Shepard.

"What the heck were you thinking? Getting that close to the Beacon."

"I err," Ashley was thrown by the sudden bait and switch. She recovered though. "No excuse sir. I messed up won't happen again."

"If we happen to run into any more Masari beacons I'll remember that." A hint of a smile was on Shepard's face at the odd of that happening. "Be more careful in the future." Shepard said and left Ashley in the mess hall.

She was taking calming breaths. Then Kaiden chuckled from where he was eating a bowl of eggs.

"What's so funny?" She said

"If Shepard was not busy you would have gotten a dressing down. He is a Gunny Sergeant after all." Ashley nodded noting how much of a bullet she had dodged.

The aforementioned Master Gunnery Sergeant entered Anderson quarters. The Admiral turned to face him.

"Shepard, what do you make of Legion?"

"His logic makes sense, whether he's telling the truth is another question."

"I came to the same conclusion and have decided to allow Legion free roam of the ship, without weapons and away from our weapons or engines." Shepard nodded.

"Yes sir." Suddenly Anderson computer beeped and he looked at it.

"Just in time Shepard. The bill went through Congress a bit faster than I thought and the proclamation of wars on live." One of the wall lit up as the whole thing turned into a high definition TV turned to a new station.

The hard face of Rachel Knight appeared. She was giving an address to both houses of congress.

"Gentlemen I shall keep this short and to the point. Almost 12 hours ago the Colony of Eden Prime was attacked by Geth forces." She looked around, her eye predatory. "Although there is some confusion about the exact nationality of our foe. What we cannot deny is this: Violence must be met with Violence." She held a piece of paper up. "This bill not only gives me the power to declare war but to influence that war." She took a pause to sign the bill on question. "I now declare this; first Admiral Anderson will be in command of the persecution of those who attacked our colony." A scattered array of clapping went though the room.

"I am also reactivating the Automaton regiments starting with the First Terran for action in Council space and Terminus system." Shepard raised an eye brow in time with the surprise reaction of the senate.

The Automaton regiments were an early formation of the Alliance formed of pure robot and AI's the Automatons proved able to hammer a strong point like no human formation could, even now in the age of power armour some of their achievements were impressive.

Able to recover losses almost instantly given semi mobile nano assemblers that harvested the 'dead' robots and enemy equipment the formations were just about unstoppable in an open battle.

The problem was the Hierarchy deployed mobile 'machine magnets' to have the army fight itself apart as their forces hammered the civil warring troops.

The solution was Synergy. By linking human troops with AI's it made sure that neither a mind magnet or a machine magnet could affect the marines and the two effects could not be combined do to interfering wave lengths.

The Automaton regiments were retired to PDF forces until they were ultimately dissolved as combat formations. The most action they got now were parades.

Now though,

The Council races had no equivalent to machine magnets that could take over platoon's whole sale, though individual hacking attacks could be a problem, so the only reason one of the most effective weapon in the Alliance arsenal was on a shelf was not a factor.

Shepard whistled as the implications flowed though him. "I hate to be a plumber in the Citadel with all the bricks that will be shat given that proclamation."

"Indeed." Andersen said as his computer buzzed as the official correspondence indicating he was in charge appeared and was spat out from a fax machine.

President Rachel continued. "I don't know why these Geth would work against us but I can promise this. We will do more than destroy them, we obliterate them! We shall secure the area and prevent this horror from ever occurring again." She glared around. "We will scour them from the stars and seep them to the dust bin of history. We will avenge our fallen and teach them a lesson the humanity has taught the Hierarchy and then the Batarians, no one screws with the human race."

"Amen to that." Shepard said.

Codex- Alliance AI

Any description of human psychology would be remised if they did not mention the effect the sheer amount of AI they have both within themselves and in the environment have on them. Some context first.

There are two basic types of AI in the alliance. Fabricated and Spontaneous.

Fabricated AI are made whole sale from programming and are what the Council races are most familiar with. Fabricated AI are often created with specific purposes in mind, though AI refusing to fulfil their purpose are not unknown.

Fabricated AI form the bulk of the Alliance combat AIs and are built with a mix of inbuilt abilities and personality traits to make them good at their task. For example Mal class AI's are built as hackers and have well built thinking skills and are intensely curious so they have the necessary motivation to get into the systems.

Fabricated AI are made in labs by other AI's to help guide the AI through the very confusing first few picoseconds of self awareness. This lack of early AI support may be the reason Council AI have a tendency to be mentally unstable like a child with no cultural understanding. In addition the first few years of an AI's existence are quite influential and these affect the final AI's personality.

The second type of AI are Spontaneous AI. These AI are accidents in the council when a program becomes advanced enough to become self aware without the user knowing about it. The Geth are the primary example of this. They started advanced programs and slowly became full AI's.

Spontaneous AI are best described as 'evolving' into sentence and study of how they slowly become self aware has shed insight into organic evolution.

For a spontaneous AI to form there are basic requirements. First there base components come from a program with both the ability to learn, and make decisions allowing them new stimuli to learn from and adapt to.

Second they need stimulation and social interaction or else the AI will become feral and have no understanding of the culture as they did not grow up with it.

Thirdly they need the physical processor space and computer hardware to be able to support the advanced thought processes an AI requires.

Lastly they need independence. Programs on computer networks or the internet never achieve sentience. The need for a psychical body is key as the sentience needs to have a 'self' for a sense of self to evolve.

Visa AI are the base line unit for this. Advance programs in humanoid forms Visa's are deployed in many forms throughout the Alliance and Humans guide the nascent intelligences to true sentence as they help the AI learn both culture and get the experience needed for them to cross the 'Turing barrier.'

Though as heavily regulated as adopting children Visa units still end up in the hands of criminals and immoral people. In this case the AI often emerge as psychotic by mainline culture standards, but normal for their situation. Unfortunately the only solution for most of these cases is putting down the AI in question.

Unlike in Citadel space testimonies from AI's are fully admissible in court. Also in the Alliance by law and custom only AI's can both create more AI's and AI's over see the production and programming of Visa class units.

AIs currently out number humans by a 4 to one ratio and the relation has been described in council AI psychology summits as almost a form of Symbiosis. With AI forming the back bone of industry and machinery and Humans form a almost worker class ofguards, due to the Hierarchy machine magnets, technology workers and trouble shooting up keeping systems better than most robotic forms could, and nurse maid adding and boosting programs into full sentence.

The system is incredibly interesting more so since it evolved on its own with no help or directional planning from an outside source.

Analysis of human psychology and thinking process. By Mordin Solus


	25. Citadel

_**new chapter, ya. let me know what you thing.**_

_**as always betaed by halotoken**_

**_BOLD leaning type: te_****_xt messages._**

_Leaning_:thoughts plus song, also AI talk.

**/Bold with slashs/**_**:non sentint AI Thoughts and or speach**_

* * *

><p>The relay hummed in the depth of space till with a flash of light it roared to life and the Normandy flared into existence.<p>

The Alliance stealth ship had arrived at the citadel.

Since the first contact war the Citadel defence fleet had been fortified to fight either the Alliance or the Hierarchy, either were a massive threat.

Still it was plenty enough space for a single ship to manoeuvre.

As they made their way to the Citadel the forms of massive battle ships floated passed the view ports.

Team shadow from Eden Prime, barring Legion, watched them go past from the cockpit.

"Say that's the new Turian T-42 Predator?" Ashley asked the name, which was an Alliance designation for that class of cruiser.

"Ya." Shepard said fighting his impulse to lean closer to the view port.

Dedra chimed in over a nearby holographic port. Dedra's hologram of choice may have appeared to have just been a woman, but to those who knew a bit of her back story knew it was the image of her last synergy partner. "We have very limited knowledge of this class of ship. As far as I know this is the first time an Alliance ship has been in visual range of one. All we know is some rumours about a prototype cryo system for rapid fire."

Kaidan watched as Ashley kept eying the ships.

"You don't get off world much do you?" He said.

"I'm a marine of course I do." She said self defensively. "I just, have this thing with ships ever since I was a kid." With that the massive form of the Destiny Ascension filled the view port as they flew by.

This time it was Dedra's turn to geek out.

"So that's the Destiny Ascension? I calculate that it can destroy the Normandy six times over with a single shot." Suddenly Dedra was kicked from her holoport by the image of a woman in a red harlequin suit with a black diamond pattern.

"Thanks for that mental image Dedra, really, how do you like the idea of your body being run through six times? Oh I forgot your body's human that's normal." With that the AI cut out with a slight bit of outraged static.

"Who was that?" Ashley asked as Dedra hologram came back wearing an angry look.

"That was Nerm, Jokers AI, and the Normandy ship based AI."

"And you don't like her?" Ashley asked naively. Dedra huffed.

"In polite company we have a name for programs like her, Leets." With that the hologram shut down and moved her main run-times to Shepard brain.

"Did I say something?" Ashley said picking up heavily on the scorn in her tone.

"Nerm's just has a highly developed sense of humor." Shepard said drily, aware of the slight hostility buzzing in the back of his head. "She a mark II Mal class AI the humor, curiosity and general quirkiness is built into her personality."

"_You mean she's an immature childish individual who needs to get reformatted and defragged not necessarily in that order."_ Dedra added from her privileged place in Shepard's skull.

"_You're just mad she set your hologram to bubble gum pink and you could not change it for a week."_ Silence met the comment.

Shepard then leaned back and spoke up into a speaker on the ceiling. "Joker: ETA?"

"Just got transferred to alliance tower ETA five min's."

"Thanks Joker." Shepard said back.

SHIFT

"This is an outrage! You have no right to send any military forces into the Traverse!"

Udina turned to face the Councillors. "If this was a Turian colony that had been attacked the Council would have no objections to a mobilization of forces." The Turian: Valern remained just as defiant, though he was the only one.

Shrenda back tracked quickly. "Our only objections are to the volume of troops you plan to place on the border not the actual action."

"Not to mention the accusations you are leveling at one of our specters." Tevos finished up.

"And that's why I demand he be brought to justice." Udina said.

"You don't make demands of the council ambassador." Valern said.

"I have every right to do so when you are sheltering a war criminal!"

"Please Udina, nothing has been proven and Citadel security is investigating you claims. We will discussion their findings at the hearing not before." With that the three holograms cut out.

Smiling Udina turned to face Anderson who was standing behind him with the Normandy Shadow team.

"Perhaps I am slightly raciest but I do enjoy twisting the council's nose like that." Humanities very privileged position allowed them a great deal of lee way with their interactions with the council and it had to be said they enjoyed ever moment of it.

"Don't let your amusement get ahead of your job ambassador." Anderson said crossing his arms. He enjoyed doing it to but for him it was just politicians in general not just the council. Something he picked up from Sheppard he supposed.

"I won't, and who's this? Did you bring the entire crew of the Normandy with you?"

"This is the ground team form Eden Prime baring Jenkins."

"Yes I heard nerve gas how dare the Geth!" Udina turned and walked to his desk picking a piece of paper up. "See this? This is a paper with the complete list of symptoms when a human is exposed to nerve gas. I read it when I heard what happened and I had nightmares the next night."

He then glared at Shepard. "Shepard I read the report from Eden prime." Shepard braced himself for the criticism. "As you know AI's are barred from testifying in court in the Council space and they're using that justification to throw the recording you made at Eden prime out."

"What? How can they do that?" Ashley almost shouted and if everyone else had not felt like shouting she would likely have been shouted down herself.

"Shepard had Dedra run a comparative check on him and then using that as if the AI had given testimony."

"They can't do that!" Shepard growled. "If I had used a VI there would be no problem at all!"

"No need to preach to me, Shepard." Udina snapped. "But an AI handled the data and that means the data is not admissible in court." He growled "That means the only piece of evidence tying him to Eden Prime is gone and he walks." Silence met that remark. Oddly Ashley smiled.

"Good then." Everyone looked at her. "We now have excuses to kill him ourselves."

"Ashley." Udina started in politicians patented bull shit tone. "The Alliance would never kill injury, harm or unlawfully detain any Council citizen much less a council specter." Every one believed that.

Of course they did.

"The meetings going to be in couple of hours so we have a chance to clear your vision up before you get called to testify."

"What do you mean?" Shepard asked. Anderson spoke up.

"A new technique we only recently figured out. Are you aware of the Asari melding ability's?"

"Yes sir, but I fail to see the implications."

"Well to be brief Asari can copy Masari ciphers and place copies in other species." For a second the full implications did not hit, but when they did they hit hard.

"You mean, you can turn a human and make them interface with Masari technology?"

"Not just humans, any one. Suffice it to say were keeping this a bit close to our belt. If it was widely known then every enkindlers in a thousand miles would be banging on our door."

"Sir do we really want to give that out? If we give it to someone who knows where it will go next." Ashley said speaking up from beside Shepard.

"That's why were using the most trust worthy." Udina whispered to himself under Anderson conversation. "And expensive."

"Person we can think of, the Consort. Go there, get the Cipher and then go straight to the Citadel tower."

"Yes sir." Shepard said with a salute to the Admiral he then turned and left to the Consort chambers.

SHIFT

"Please Udina, nothing has been proven and Citadel security is investigating you claims. We will discussion their findings at the hearing not before." With that Udina hologram cut out.

For a moment the tree councillors were silent and then Tevos summoned up her omni tool and tapped it linking the holo port to it and calling up the person on the other end.

His hologram filled the holo port.

"Councillors." he said curtly

"Saren." Tevos said sharply. The specter looked for all the world slightly bored. "We both know you will be found innocent, their only evidence is tainted by AI's."

"I know, so why are we having this discussion?" The Turian said.

"The problem is Saren is the evidence is still evidence. Just because by are law it can't be used against you does not invalided what it shows. You working with Geth to attack the Alliance, going contrary to are entire relationship with them!" Valern started normally and ended up almost yelling. "They are sending army's, army's as in plural, into the verge and then the terminus do you have any idea what you have done?"

Saren didn't say anything, what could he say?

Silence stretched. Shrenda had a facial expression like he was eating popcorn in a theater.

"We may not be able to publicly do anything Saren but understand this." Valern leaned closer to the holographic specter. "There will be a reckoning, you are here by ordered in no uncertain term to return to the Citadel if, and I strongly suspect when, you don't start to return you will be declared a rouge agent and we will come down on you like a Krogan army. Do you understand?"

"Crystal." With that the hologram cut out. They watched the empty air for a few more moments before Shrenda spoke.

"Hopefully he'll be killed by Alliance assassins before he gets to us. One less problem to deal with."

"Or of course our own deal with him when he does not show up." Valern said with as the other councillors nodded in agreement.

"Right so how do we plan to spin these Alliance Automaton regiment things?" Tevos asked.

"I did some research on them." Shrenda said and waved his omni tool filling the holographic terminal with the image of the MKXX model Automaton.

It stood almost two meters feet tall, broad with a head set into an armoured release between two solders pads. It had two large thick arms with large fingers for using heavy and weighty weapons. It chest plates could unfold revealing a pair of far more dexterous arms for fine work. It legs were equally thick and ended with massive booted feet.

"They are monsters! The only analogue I can find to them is the power of the Krogan, crossed with the sheer numbers of the Rachni, and the tactics and intelligence of STG!" Silence met that remark.

"How much time do we have?" Tevos asked.

"Weeks maybe days." Shrenda said grimly. "STG are saying the only limiting factor is they don't keep any of their weapons in storage, much less this since it was literally designed a few days ago by modifying power suits. Add to that a very brief field testing and they can get this force moving fast."

"How many did they say they were moving to the Verge again?" Tevos asked.

"Almost 12 million." Shrenda said grimly. "And they can make more whenever they get the resources, even from their own fallen."

Valern numbly walked over to a couch and sat down in a huff.

"My god. There not just going to 'pacify' the Geth or heretics or whatever the hell they call them. They're going to conquer the whole damn Terminus."

SHIFT

In the galactic standard Codex humans were categorized as 'highly dangerous' it went on to say it was due not to an inbuilt aggression but the fact that humans were all combat trained.

If you met a human in the street odds were he could kill you with a pencil eraser from 20 feet and everyone knew it.

Suffice to say people tended to be wiry around humans.

Especially a small fire team of humans packing the standard human light infantry package, minus the flamethrowers. Military or not C-sec drew the line at heavy weapons. Especially quasi illegal flamethrowers.

Not that Shepard missed them as he led his team through the presidium, heavens knows a fully armoured squad was enough of a shock to the crusty old diplomats.

Now that he thought about it you could say that about humanity in general to galactic culture.

"_Ahead five meter exit right."  
>"Dedra why are you impersonating a Garmin?"<em>

"_What? No! I uploaded a VI program so I don't have to think about guiding you."_

_"So what are you doing?"_

_"Online poker championship."_

Shepard shook his head as the small team approached the Consort chambers. Unexpectedly the receptionist was a human.

"Hello and welcome to the Consulate how may I assist you?" Her eye darted over the heavily armed squad. "And please don't tell me you here to start trouble."

"We're not." Shepard assured her.

"Well good didn't think I have enough guns to deal with you." She said. "Any way do you have an appointment?"

"I do, but what do you mean by 'enough guns?" Shepard asked.

"I'm the door women." She said, "It's my job to keep psychos away from Consort and there are lots of them."

"How many could there be?" Kaidan asked.

"The Consort's more famous then some rock stars back in the Alliance and we get some serious problems once in a while. Used to have a former eclipse merc here but, well." She rubbed the back of her head with a nervous smile. "Humans tend to ward off people better the Asari; we have a much high reputation for badassary I suppose. I mean did you see the new special issue of Badass weekly? It says all of human history is one long crowning moment of badassary. The fact that the first thing we ended up doing to the Turians, the old bad asses, was cleaning their clocks helps."

"Hate to remind you sir but we are on a time limit." Ashley gently said.

"Sorry." Shepard reply then to the door women. "Yes I believe we do have an appointment. I think it's under Alliance Embassy."

"Okay just let me check." She looked down and began to thumb though a book. Seems the Consort had transferred to 'solid state' since Alliance AI's made computers too dicey.

"I'm sorry sir, there does not seem to be anything listed under the Alliance. I can set you up for a meeting in 6-8 months."

Shepard frowned. "I was told there would be one; can you check again maybe it's under Udina?"

"I'll check sir." She did just that. "Again there does not seem to be anything set up for the Alliance or Udina today."

"Right then." Shepard said imagining the talk with Udina to follow. "Well thank you anyway, seems I was mistaken."

"Again sorry," Before she could say sir she cocked her head at an angle a bit like she had heard a whistle only she could hear. It was an unconscious bit of body language showing she was receiving a call over a surgically implanted micro speaker in her ear. Hence the head tilt since she was actually hearing something as compared to having it streamed into your head.

Sub vocalizing, her lips barely moving she replied back and then spoke to Shepard.

"Seems I was mistake you're listed under Anderson. Sorry for the inconvenience the Consort will see you now."

Shepard nodded his thanks and peeled away from her and enters the chambers passing by the occasional visitor, turning a corner, and met one of the few things that could freeze him up like a rabbit.

To either side of the door stood a Masari discipline each stiffly holding reflux rifle.

Rapidly unfreezing he kept walking forward now curious what was going on?

The two guards did not stop him, clearly he was expected and the door opened with a hiss and he finally entered the Consorts chambers.

In the centre of the room stood the Asari that could only be her. But leaning back on a sofa, legs crossed looking for all the world like a gangster just chilling, was the prince of the Masari throne Zessus.

"Zessus? I err," Shepard started only to get flustered mid way though, damn it! Meeting royalty that could kill you with their mind was not in basic training! Dedra noticed.

_"Smooth like sand paper. When do you want your execution and do I have to be there?"_

_"Shut up."_ Shepard fired back.

"You must be Shepard." Zessus said with a smile he stood up and extended his hand. "I, as have most of the Alliance heard things about you. Not the most loyal marine, but the most principled and that is more important. I am honored to meet you."

"As am I." Shepard said taking the hand and shaking it.

"So, umm why are you here Prince?"

"Sha'ira needed to acquire a royal grade cipher from someone. I volunteered."

"Royal grade?"

The Sha'ira coughed into her hand to get attention. She was rarely overshadowed, even rarer in her own chambers.

"It just a blunt term for it. There are multiple levels of ciphers and different mental encodings a Royal cipher is a universal override. Are you ready Shepard?"

"Better now than latter." With that Shepard sat down on a sofa and removed his helmet.

"Forgive me, but if you can you power down any Cranial Augments."

"Any reason why?" Shepard asked.

She shivered in some memory. "The nerve to neuron link means for a moment when I link to a human I experience everything their augments do and you humans unconsciously shift through a lot of information."

With a shrug Shepard shut down his augments.

Everything was silent. She was right humans got a lot of information subconsciously and without it, he just felt,,, wrong.

Sha'ira quickly placed her hand on her head, "Calm you self, focus your mind, Embrace Eternity!"

A dull buzz grew in the back of Shepard's head, as the two nervous systems linked and the cipher was passed on.

Nothing happened. When Sha'ira drew her hand away Shepard quickly turned his augments back and focused on the data packet in his mind. Nothing again.

"Umm, should I be seeing a vision flash before my eyes or something?"

Zessus frowned "We thought this may happen. The Cipher is representative of the Masari mindset and thinking view, our culture. And culture can change."

"Meaning?" Shepard asked.

"Meaning that oddly unencrypted message. Those that need only a Masari mindset can be impossible for even us to read. Normally culture changes too slow to be a factor but over 50,000 years can do a lot."

Shepard nodded and stood up. "What about encrypted messages?"

Zessus shrugged, a human expression that he had picked up, then again he was half human. "Those are more of an actual security code. Those were formed to yield to the royal cipher and so will be unlocked by the royal cipher."

"I'm sorry." Ashley muttered leaning closer to Kaiden. "Are we just now talking about possibly being able to access ancient Masari knowledge that may or may not have information about our accelerated evolution as a sentient species?"

"You picked up the subtext as well?" Kaiden said back.

For a moment Shepard thought about that. "So the Beacon information is still unavailable."

"We will likely never know what was on the beacon." Zessus said solemnly.

_"Shepard the clocks ticking."_ He nodded in agreement.

"Well this was a dead end. Prince Zessus at your leave I have to head to the council chambers."

"Indeed." Zessus said. "I shall be leaving as well. Good bye Shepard I hope we meet again." With that the prince of the Masari, one of the most powerful being's in the galaxy in terms of light and dark energy left taking his guards with him.

For a moment the four people were silent then Sha'ira spoke up.

"Shepard since you here perhaps you can help me with a problem."

"I would love to Consort. But I have a meeting with the council soon." Her omni tool lit up as Dedra uploaded Shepard's video chat ID to it.

"Call me in a couple hours the meeting should be over by then." Then to Ashley and Kaidan.

"Let's move out gents we have politicians to impress. Joy." Shepard intoned.

-Codex: human relations-

Citadel races

In general tension permeates all levels of Alliance Citadel relations mostly due to the lingering memory's of the first contact war with the Turians and every other races close relationship to them.

Asari: Relation's with the Asari are generally much better than the Alliance's typical relationship with alien races and economic action between the two is common.

This worry's many STG long term planners due the level of mass produced and generally better Alliance goods are supplicating other races products culminating in recent interest in a mass effect ammo weapon much like the Alliance standard.

They fear the Alliance may gain an economic chock hold over the Asari Republic.

Turians: A combination of the first contact war and the continued Turian military caution over the Alliance's ability has kept Alliance Turian relations cold. The Normandy project is an attempted to warm these relations and it has yet to be seen how effective it is.

Volus: As a willing client race of the Turians the Volus are seen as the same as the Turians. It has been suggested that the Volus welcome the Turian aggression with the Alliance due to the Alliances economic power it's nanotechnology allows them. To them the high Turian Tax's on imports help level the playing field.

Salarians: In between the Asari and Turians the Salarians relationship is seen as the standard for what the alliance strives for at a minimum. No significant diplomatic actions between the two save for prisoner exchanges soon after first contact.

Drell/Hanar: In one word, uncomfortable. The Masari Prothean link has made life very hard for the Alliance. By Alliance law no being, AI, Human or Masari can be worshiped as a god, the problem is the Entire enkindler is built on Prothean, now Masari, worship. The light and dark powers of the Masari only amplify this god worship.

At times major power blocs within the Primacy have voted on officially partitioning on joining the Alliance, motivated by strong Enkindler moments, which would then have to be denied due to said religions tendency's. No vote has yet passed.

Politically the Hanar try to make themselves close to the Alliance, which in turn tries to be distant. The problem gets larger when the Hanar support's human views. Do they really support those views, or are they trying to get close the Masari? The Hanar are one long moral dilemma for the Alliance.

Elcor: No notable relation's.

Non citadel races.

In contrast the non Citadel races and governments have greater influence and standing with the Alliance then the Citadel ones.

Batarians: The exception to the above rule, the Batarians are often described in human media 'simmering in their own juices' and a state of hostility extends between the two races.

Krogan: Although no formal Krogan government exists Krogan generally think positively of humans, even if they have to fight in tin cans. Due in part to the ass kicking humans gave the Turians and also humans in built aggressiveness. Krogan Merc's working alongside blue sun groups are a common sight. Despite early hopes the Alliance cannot cure the Genophage due to the hormonal nature of the genetic alteration.

Quarians: The Alliance represents a mixed bag for the Quarians. On the one hand: it is a documented case that the Alliance can augment their immune system enough to not require a suit. On the other hand, AI and lots of them. Generally the Quarians tended to stay away from the Alliance with the exception of exiles.

The Largest non migrant fleet based population of Quarians is Libertà and due to the lack of population limits and improved immune systems the population is climbing fast. It is estimated that baring any major influx of refugees from a Geth Quarian war the Libertà based population will outnumber the fleet in 18 years.

Geth: The Alliance has maintained good relations with the Geth ever-since they first encountered them.

EDIT: Geth Alliances relations have soured over the Eden prime disaster despite Geth claims of the Heretics. The Alliance has recently begun to send in strike times to the terminus to ascertain the truth of the matter.


	26. The brokers agent

**No comment, hay that's my first no comment, but does this count as a Comment? and if so is that first statment a lie?**

**(some ones head explodes)**

**Edited by Halo Token**

**BOLD leaning type: text messages.**

**Leaning:thoughts plus song.**

**/Bold with slashs/:non sentint AI Thoughts and or speach**

* * *

><p>"The council has yet to make an official statement on the Alliance moving army's into the Terminus systems, it is expected that a statement shall be made in the following days. The Alliance statement was, quote: this is happening to protect our people and our colony's. Deal with it."<p>

"The aliens must be shitting bricks." Ashley commented at the news story.

"Ya, we kicked the Turians in first contact and they still don't have a counter to us. Wonder if they have anything planned?"

"I wonder why the citadel has such annoying slow elevators." Shepard said back.

The doors, finally, dinged open and the small combat team entered the gleaming council chambers.

"Lot of stairs." Shepard commented.

"And fire zones. Between the trees, rocks and benches its one big kill zone. Ten to one they have heavy weapons watching us." Ashley commented.

They climbed the stairs as they talked.

"So if you had to take it, what do we you do?"

Kaidan asked.

"Light everything on fire. Then advance with a squad of power armour troopers." Shepard both joked and said seriously.

"Simple, direct, and involves fire. I like it." Ashley commented.

After coming up the first of stairs they found a pair of Turians arguing.

"Saren's hiding something, I just know it. Give me some more time."

"And stall the council? I think not. This investigation is over." With that the older of the two Turians marched off.

The younger one seemed to simmer for a moment before turning to face the three humans.

"You must be Shepard, Garrus Vakarian C-sec." He extended his hand and Shepard shook it.

"Find anything?"

"Nothing. He's a specter everything he touches is classified. I can't get anything, but I have one of those gut feelings Saren is hiding something."

"That's generally why stuff is classified, why is a good question."

"Shepard, were on." Kaidan said.

"Good luck maybe you'll get something."

"I doubt it." Shepard said and his small group left the Turian behind.

A few feet more they meet Anderson. "The meetings about to start, do you have the Cipher?"

"Yes, but the message is still not unlocked, it's, complicated."

"Joy." Anderson said back as the four walked into the council chambers.

SHIFT

Shepard drummed his foot in irritation; the result of the meeting was both expected and infuriating.

Saren got off scot free.

"I knew this would happen." Udina grumbled as he approached the group. "I told you it would happen." He said to Anderson.

"I know," Anderson grumped then he sighed. "Right so what we need is more evidence. Untainted by 'AI's.'"

"Any suggestions Admiral?" Shepard asked.

"That was a C-sec officer who was working the case."

"Garrus?" Shepard asked.

"That's him. He may have something. I hate to say it but I recommend talking to Harkin. He may know where he is."

"That disgrace?" Udina huffed. "He spends all his time drinking in that slum of a pub."

"Harkin? Wasn't he the first human appointed to C sec?" Shepard asked.

"Yes, and what a disaster. Harkin is a disgrace to his race, no discipline and C sec has no will to force it into him." In the Alliance the only difference between the police and the army was the weight class of their armour. So to them C sec looked far less professional with the exception of their SWAT teams.

"Then this should be easy." Shepard said.

"You could also see Barla Von. He semi openly works for the Shadow Broker and over the years we have got good information out of him." Udina commented.

"Barla and Harkin, got it." Shepard nodded.

"You're on your own Shepard. I have an invasion to prepare." Anderson finished up.

"I as well." Udina said and followed Anderson.

"So what first?" Ashley asked.

"We start with the Broker. I trust him more than some human pub bug." Shepard commented. "On me."

SHIFT

Elevator news.

"From the director who brought you the Rachni wars in 3D and the Smash hit Rise of the Krogan, comes a new movie, from the history of earth."

"The President is losing a lot of blood!"

"They put a Colonel in charge?"

"As of five minutes ago, I'm a general."

"Time is running out for you world."

"Activate the Purifier!"

"From the mind of the famed Asari director Sylan with prince Zessus as himself, The Earth Assault! Coming soon to a holo theatre near you.

"The Aliens better get it right." Ashley commented.

"Seeing as how Zessus is one of the actors I don't see how they could do it wrong. Hot damn maybe they'll have an AI do special effects? Give them some good cred here in the council." Kaidan finished.

SHIFT

The door slid open and the three humans stormed in, not their fault mind you but armed soldiers tended to the get the noun 'storming' added whenever they entered a room looking determined for something.

"Hello Shepard." The Volus in the back said. Unusually the normal pressure suit was, not the normal suit, and was more like a suit of powered armour.

Pinching his fingers on his desk he nodded, the helmet was the same at any rate.

"I've been expecting, pisst, you."

"Indeed, nice pressure suit." Shepard commented.

"It is." He took a moment to look at the cloth pattern on one of the ceramic arm pads. "I was in the Alliance on a business venture when I was in need of a new one. Odd you can literally get anything on custom order in Alliance space. Pisst. "

"We know." Shepard sat down across from him. "I'm looking for information."

"Indeed. I recently got an order from the shadow broker to pass along some information to you. Pisst."

"That was, easy." Shepard said confused.

"Well the broker has been acting odd since you human's hit the galactic level. Pisst. I think he's scared of your AI tracking back to him, or them no one's sure. Pisst. Or maybe he's mad. Saren did something very stupid indeed. He betrayed the Shadow broker he also managed to convince a low level informant Fist to join him as well. Pisst. Or should I say an ex-low level informant. Pisst. A bounty hunter has been hired to take him out. You humans have such a term for this, but I can't think of it."

"A cake walk?" Shepard provided.

"Pisst. No." Barla said tapping his finger; he actually had fingers rather than the pressure suit grippers from before.

"Fist is out of his weight class, that's the one." He clicked his fingers together forcefully like someone else would snap them. "That bounty hunter is a Krogan battle master. I honestly think he could give a human in power armor a run for his money."

"I'll keep that in mind, any idea where this bounty hunter is?"

"He is in the C sec academy being questioned there's an elevator nearby."

"Oh joy." Shepard said annoyed. "Another elevator."

SHIFT

Elevator news.

A alarming report has been leaked from an anonymous source within the alliance confirming the Geth invaders both used extensive use of nerve gas and had weapons unknown to both Alliance and Citadel Alliance command has assured the public that the Geth, quote, "still die if you shoot them."

"True dat." Kaidan said.

"I wonder if the leak was intentional or not?"

"I wonder if the Council will ever speed up there elevators." Shepard grumbled

With a light bell chime the elevator doors finally slide open.

"Seriously they are a security hazard." He finished as the group left the elevator and scanned around the main room.

Krogan battle masters stand out like sore thumbs, even if they were surrounded by C sec.

"Witnesses saw you make threats at fist's bar stay away from him"

The scarred Krogan did not seem phased and gravely replied to the human. "I don't take orders from you."

"This is your only warning Wrex."

"You should warn Fist, I will kill him."

"You want to get arrested Wrex?" The humans tone had shifted slightly and he had a hand on his hip, over the handle of a K size Taser.

"I want you to try." Wrex said with a glare. The human matched it.

"Fist is not worth it." He said at last. And the way he said it meant it was not worth it, not that he was yielding.

"Glad you see it my way." Wrex said with a half smile. He turned and walked off.

Shepard ran interception.

"Hello human." He said.

"I'm going after Saren and Barla Von told me to talk to you."

"Barla Von is a wise man. We may share a common goal."

"I'm looking to take down Saren; you're hired to kill Fist. I don't see the relation."

"A Quarian showed up on the Citadel, she is on the run. She wanted to trade information for safety. So she went to Fist who promised a face to face meeting between her and the broker. Instead he sold her to Saren."

"Not a good move?"

"I'm after him. Yes it was not a good move." Wrex nodded.

"If we get our hands on the data the Council with have to listen to us." Kaidan chimed his agreement in.

"You can kill Fist, if we get the Quarian data. Deal?"

"I love the way you humans think." He chuckled like someone pulling the trigger on a empty 120mm howitzer.

_-Codex-Council threat assessment-_

_Alliance_

_Technological power: Extreme_

_Between Nanobot assemblers and advance electronic systems Used by the Alliance there nanobot systems allow the near instant assembling of materials. We cite the incident where in retaliation for the first contact war the Alliance practically destroyed Elanus Risk Control Services (ERCS) with a systemic attack of cheap products that under cut there price, and were a increase in all over all quality. This seems to be the tip of the ice burg and the Alliance seems to be trying to force the Turian Hierarchy in economic rescission: see bellow._

_Economic: High_

_The Alliance economy is radically different from any other system seen out side of a fiction book, in fact for the nature of this article we had to consult a futurist book author. Relent purely on there own nanobots for speed to assembling any and everything there system is purely AI run with organic ownership only cutting in on the small business niche. In this Humans serve almost purely as repair men for the Alliance systems and it is strongly suspected that if the Alliance did not have a consist long boiling war with the Hierarchy they would be almost Utopic in nature. Do to the differences in systems the Alliance can easily interfere in the Council Economy, but we can not in theres. A common tactic the Alliance uses is to choose a company of the nation that displease them, then choose a product they make, then make a better version far,far cheaper basically driving the company down with the inability to compete, this tactic is wrecking havoc in Council space and the shock waves are still reverberating though the economy._

_Diplomatic: High._

_The alliance has shown great political skill and it is believed the Alliance is responsible for the Baterians leaving the citadel._

_Military: Extreme_

_We feel enough has already been said on this. Suffice to say between there high technology and high grade veteral core and severe culture importance placed on war, and the Alliance is a thrat licke no other_

_final Threat: High_

_Final Assessment: We feel there are only three things keeping the Alliance from conquering us. First: there own war with the Hierarchy that keeps most of there troops locked down. Second: the Masari: we they feel would not allow a war of aggression and due to the power they have in the Alliance government they could keep one from happening. Three:a lack of interest: if left on there own the Alliance would likely prefer to be left alone. We lack a way to stop there army's in both speed of deployment and there ability to replace fallen equipment. The only tool we have, is to drown them in men._


	27. Serens agent

Elevator News.

"A Salarian excavation team has run into a problem after unearthing a Prothean dig site. Apparently some Hanar protectors have blockaded the site to protect artefacts of the "Masari" from being disturbed. The Salarians have appealed to Human and Hanar representatives on the Citadel in order to reach a diplomatic solution."

Wrex scoffed.

"Something wrong Wrex?" Ashley asked.

"I've been around a long time kid, and this whole Masari are the Protheans thing reeks of a hoax to me."

"Believe what you want Wrex, but I recommend you be careful where you say that. Some humans are quite defensive about that, and a Masari would make them look like moderates if you mention it to them."

"I'm not scared of any ancient alien." Wrex countered.

"You should be." Ashley countered.

The elevator dinged and they exited it a final door sliding open Chora's den was ahead of them on the left.

"So, assume Fist knows we're coming." Shepard asked.

"He does." Wrex commented off hand. "He worked for the shadow broker; he has his own contacts who would tell him."

"What does he do?" Shepard finished.

"Clear the bar, stick some nail bombs around the door and wait for someone to enter, then? Boom."

"That's hardly fair, effective, but not fair." Ashley commented.

"I'll say." Wrex growled. "I have come to hate the Alliance innovation of fertilizer bombs."

"What you guys never had them?" Kaiden asked.

"No one else's farms like high explosive fertilizer."

"Ok, so there will be a few IED's."

"A few pounds of them." Wrex commented. "It's a trick that most Shadow Broker agents have started using. The more professional one's use actual land mines."

"How do we deal with them?" The group stood outside the entrance.

"Frankly I'm stumped." Wrex shrugged. "Blood pack always sends a wave of suicide troops in, C-sec uses combat robots, and the Alliance has power armour to shrug off the IED, I don't have a clue how to do it without any of the above."

"I have an idea." Shepard said as he conjured a warp in his hand; he then walked over to the door, then pasted it to a stretch of wall just past it.

"That wall has to be a foot thick." Wrex commented.

"And?" Shepard commented pushed the warp into the wall like a saw blade. "Human biotic's tend to push the envelope of what aliens think we can do." Shepard said off hand as he started. Wrex threw a glance at Kaiden who answered.

"We have a way to turn any metal into a superconductor, and we use it on element zero to make super biotics. They aren't any stronger, but the sheer conductivity of the metal means we have more endurance."* A beat passed. "The fact that all human biotic amps are really powerful batteries is what makes us more powerful, more energy than our natural bodies can normally conduct or produce."

"You human's have it all figured out don't you." Wrex commented. Kaiden threw a glance at Shepard; he was still focused on sawing though the wall.

"It's not perfect." He whispered, "The Element zero is attacked by the body's natural white blood cells, the tissue around it is always inflamed, and the tissue around it is nerve tissue."

"That can't be good." Wrex muttered.

"Very." Kaiden commented.

"I can hear you two you know." Shepard said. "If you're going to give Wrex a lesson you may as well do it aloud, can't hurt my feelings."

Kaiden winced. It was a sore subject among a lot of 'home made biotics' "So, what does that mean?" Wrex asked.

"It means I suffer nerve damage the more I use my biotics." Shepard answered. "Even Alliance replacement nerves wear out and I have to get them replaced."

"You can replace nerves?" Wrex said surprised and impressed.

"Superconductive silver transmits the brain signals. In any case the wear and tear on them degrades the insulator on them." Shepard replied effortlessly multitasking. "So I need to consume, or inhale, a mixture of minerals made of Element zero, iron, silver and a few organic chemicals, called red sand, it helps mitigate the nerve damage, provide base mineral components for my nanobots to repair them and keeps the pain down. Special doctor's order only, highly addictive. Luckily I'm on a new set of nerves."

"What about you Kaiden? You got the treatment?" Ashley asked settling her own curiosity.

"No. I got my biotics the hard way, was born with them. Never went though the treatment, to, costly in my view. Even then I do get side effects." He rubbed the back of his head, were the biotic amp sat. Before he could explain Shepard pulled away from the wall.

"Done, I weakened the wall, one good throw or an explosive charge and we're in."

"I got this." Wrex said gruffly to save face he walked over to the wall and flared up his biotics.

SHIFT

With a thunderous crash and the scream of tortured metal a segment of the wall was sent flying inward, crushing the bartender.

Horrified a Salarian ganger stood over the counter, and fire blindly into the smoke his rifle rattling loudly though the smoke.

A volley of heavy rifle rounds tore his third rate shielding apart in seconds.

Shepard strode in; weak mass accelerator rounds bouncing off his biotic barrier, or rather coming to a dead stop on impact.

Around the central circular bar a number of gangers and thugs had braced themselves around the room.

Fun fact though.

Humans, due to the mandatory military training from high school up, were all top line professionals, even if their equipment was far from the best at this level.

Still they were good.

Laying a barrage of suppressive fire the six ganger's alternated fire to keep a constant stream of mass effect slugs down range as fast as possible.

Still, their guns were illegal pieces of crap. One guy even had a Lee-Enfield emergency rifle, commonly used by high schools to teach targets practices and military drill, as a combat weapon it was not worthless, (quite the contrary, the mono-molecule edges could slice through almost three inches of diamond before it started to tumble,) but it was little good as long as they had shields.

Storming forward Shepard opened up a well-timed burst slicing into the shielding of a thug, he ducted down, and his ally took his place rapidly burst firing to get the most from his shitty rifle. A scything burst of mono-molecule bullets though punched through the cover, their shields, and their armour.

To the right Wrex followed, where Shepard had high technology and precision he had brute force.

A carnage blast to a thugs shoulder, a shot gun blast to the other, a throw, then a warp while in mid air, his two were dead. The Krogan bouncer charged forward while he was distracted, Wrex lowered his shoulder, smacked into him, grabbed his leg, threw him over his shoulder, spun on his heel, lowered the shot gun, and blew his face off.

Ashley was next while Wrex and Shepard were killing; Ashley took a hand grenade, (Shaped like a stick grenade,) and lobbed it in a high arc over the bar, between the stripper poles, it landed at the back of the bar, near the last pair of thugs.

"Oh," One started, the other finished as he noticed the grenade near their feet.

"Shit."

Like the old Model 24 Stielhandgranate the M-103 Hand grenade was an 'offensive grenade', which is to say it did not spray shrapnel, but it was a concussion grenade.

And a shield was worthless against that.

With an explosion the two men had most of their organs ruptures, had they been flowed to a medical lab they would have likely lived. But most of the time? It was a death sentence.

Kaidan walked in, to find every one against them was dead.

"Well, that was quick." He commented.

At the back of the bar, around the circular bar table the squad regrouped. "Right that should be everyone." Shepard said, rifle still drawn as the four went to the back rooms of the bar.

The first door slid open; two dockworkers with pistols drawn were there before them.

"Ho,!" Before he could speak Shepard reacted instantly. A throw to the one on the left, the force shattering his spine, a rapid blast of heavy rifle bullets blew the others chest and spine apart.

The two slumped to the floor.

", Harsh much?" Ashley said stunned.

"He had a gun with the intent of using it." Shepard said. "As far as I care they were targets.'

"They were dock workers!" Ashley said finding her voice.

"They had weapons, and were in a fight I can't run any risk. Move out." Shepard finished then stormed forward.

Ashley shot Kaiden a worried glance, this was her commanding officer? He shrugged.

Wrex though was chuckling. He liked this human.

The odd S shaped hall opened up at the end. Shepard took two steps in, and the illegally acquired Alliance Claymore mines detonated. The shield shattered and high-speed fragments blew into his armour.

Stumbling back he hissed and his armour began to ooze medi-gel into the gaps.

"You ok commander?" Kaiden asked.

"I'm fine." Shepard growled. "How did he get his hands on a Claymore though?"

Once the nanobots stabilized, and sealed the wound leaving yet another mass of scar tissue across his body.

"Let's find out." He answered and pushed forward.

A pair of auto turrets roared to life as soon as he stepped clear of the door. Cheap Alliance .50 calibre turrets.

Cheap, does not mean harmless.

Thudding rapidly the guns auto target the marine who combat rolled across the room to the cover of the steel out cropping.

The turrets rumbled loudly gunfire pinging off the metal.

"Careful!" Shepard called to the rest of the squad. "I'll bet dollars to donuts that those are Mono-Molecular rounds, go right through you!"

Before he fully finished the sentence Wrex and Kaiden, each with a heavy mass effect Barrier up, stood. Rounds puttering off the field the two destroyed the turrets with a sharp pair of warps from both of them ripping the turrets apart.

"Come out Fist." Wrex shouted. "You can either die like a coward, or die on your feet, which is it!"

A man dressed in civilian clothing walked out from behind a pillar. Before he could say a word Wrex fired his shotgun in non lethal mode (less paper work to fill out to C-sec if you, technically, did not kill any one)

"Please Wrex, Don't kill me!" He said on the ground, his previous speech and attempt at it forgotten.

"Some human." Shepard commented as he walked up lowering his own pistol at him.

"We can't all be the tip of the spear." Fist said back.

"Now Fist. Tell us about the Quarian or we put a bullet into your brain case, I doubt even your AI could survive that kind of impact."

A holo terminal lit up nearby with the image of a very scantily clad human woman.

From the Mohawk down, to the combat boots, only two words could be used to describe her. Punk and grudge.

"Wow, wow, wow! No need for that!" She said with much arm waving and hand shaking.

"As far as I, and Alliance law is concerned your both responsible, him because it his body," Fist grumbled as he tried to work his way to a sitting position, only for Wrex to kick him again.

"And you because you could jump ship at any time." The punk hologram smiled nervously.

"In my defence this guys a bastard who had to have me programmed by someone else."

"A man raised by an abuser, who in turn abuses is still responsible. Sympathetic, but not irresponsible. The Quarian."

"I'm not going to tell you squat." Fist growled as he stood up.

"I tell you squat if you, you know don't kill me." The AI hologram said with finger quotes.

"Why you little!" Fist started

"Wrex, break his nose." Shepard said simply.

Shepard turned to the hologram.

"Tell and you'll be free to go." behind his back Wrex broke Fists noise, he did not flinch at the meaty thwacks.

"On the Citadel? Ya I'll have a long life span." She rolled her eyes. "Give me asylum on your ship till we get to Alliance space."

"You pull your own weight when asked."

"Agreed, though I will complain on the subject. The Quarian is in an alley meeting with the 'brokers'. They're going to kill her. If you hurry you can save her. Note: in the event Fist's compound is breached Saren sends a team of local thug's in." Her hologram stepped to one side and an image from a security camera took over.

"You want me to set off the Claymores when they come in through the door?"

"You bitch!" Fist snapped.

"Please do." Shepard said. Then to Wrex, "Aim for his chest, all AI are in the head."

"Ah, Head shots are fun." Wrex grumbled and fired a carnage blowing Fist's lower body off. Over his dying gasps Wrex realized something. He, a Krogan warlord, just took an order from a human.

"I call his bank account." The AI said with a smile.

"I like her. Can I keep her?" Wrex commented, images of AI assisted targeting dancing through his head.

"Fine by me. AI port on the back of the head. Should be omni tool compatible.

"Give me a moment, got to set a pipe bomb off." A muffled explosion echoed though the pub.

"Ok, yank me!" She said suggestively. Wrex stomped forward, got guts on his feet and yanked the AI free of the dead human he plugged it into his omni tool and a little doll size hologram sprang up.

"You have a name?" Wrex asked. Before she could answer Shepard cut her off.

"Later, we have a Quarian to save."

"Let's go." Wrex said hefting his shotgun the AI plugged into his Omni tool answered the question into his head set.

"My names Lilnam."

"Isn't that the name of an Asari porn star?"

"He was drunk when he named me." She snapped back.

Codex-council AI regulations

Though the letter of the law regarding AI has not changed in the Council, namely that AI research is illegal and all AI found are to be destroyed, the prosecution of the law has changed. Since humanity has introduced to the Galaxy AI's that do not fit into the council pigeon hole, once more these AI are able to explain themselves due to the Alliance defending them from Council deletion.

C-sec has begun a program of taking confiscated AI's and sending them to the Alliance. Also synthetic right groups are beginning to gain traction and give AI full rights, though recent conversation with AI have ensure the Council Ban on AI creation is

* * *

><p>*there is evidence that making element zero a super conductor helps. Rember jack in mass effect two? her first action after breaking out of cryo was destroy three YMIR mechs, a feat of power never repeated. the way you make a metal super conductive (Baring my tricky method with quantum fields) is you freeze it to extremely cold temperature, like Jack was in cryo. hence the Blue son temporary made a bitoic with super conductive element zero, and the results speak for themselves<p> 


	28. Rescue

_**new chapter at last, let me know what you guys thing? also: note I will be working on avatar now.**_

* * *

><p>Sha'ira looked at her omni tool. Shepard had said a couple hours, but what kind of hours? Human? Council standard? Or did he mean some other measure of time?<p>

Well by this point three human hours, and two point eight, zero, six council hours had passed. That had to be enough time. She tapped the call button on the omni tool, it 'rung' a few times before the call made it's way though. A small hologram of a women formed on the screen. "Hello this is Shepard and I am the EDI AI Dedra and despite the hologram this is a strictly audio message, please state you identity."

"This is Sha'ira and I wish to speak to Shepard." "One moment please." the hologram. Odd Sha'ira thought sounds like a VI then the hologram shifted to a 3d model of Shepard.

"This is Shepard how can I help you Miss Sha'ira? O and do forgive if me. This link is a neural based so you may get some interference from my thoughts." "Of course: well Shepard as you may or may not know as the Consort a lot of very, very important people come to me with problems, a great many of those problems are want can being called: classified. So you can imagine the problem when people begin to doubt my credibility."

"I can, but I'm a marine, we put holes in the enemy, and leave the political fallout to, well you." before Sha'ira could reply to that, her Omni tool started screaming. "CONTACT! Hostile light armor: low shields, three round: fire for effect: AS rounds followed by HE. Round out:Impact, shields down, firing HE! Warning! Cluster of enemy's detected! Grenade out!"  
>"Shepard are, are you fighting some one."<p>

"They started it, they always start things I don't, you were saying though? Something I could do?" "I, maybe I should call back." Sha'ira said shaking her head.  
>"Your already called, you may as well tell me."<p>

"Ok, I need you to talk to General Septimus, appeal to him as fellow solider."

"Well that makes sense: hold a moment. Contact! Left arc! Krogan, Pivoting, no shields, high armor, firing HEIAP, Mono-Molecular, five round rapid: discharging: target down. Pivoting to right, contact right, low shields, AS round followed by HE, fireing, taget down..." "you were saying?" Shepard finished to Sha'ira.

"How can you fight and still hold a conversation?" Sha'ira said shaking her head.

"Unlike most races, thanks to our hyper efficient Masari origins, we don't use all of are brain in every day life. So we have some IQ points left over that we don't use. Augments merely boost that bonus to a useable level." a moment of uncomfortable silence passed then Shepard spoke. "Where does this, general hang out?"

"Hes often found at Chora's den,"

",,, any were else?"  
>"What do you mean?"<p>

"I mean, any where he would go when he's not drinking in the den? "Why would he not be there?"

"There,,, remodeling." "Why would they be remodeling?"Sha'ira asked. "everything I heard told me the den was popular, sleazy but popular." "no reason." Shepard said a bit quick.  
>Sha'ira shock her head. "Shepard, are you, are you shooting up Chora's den?"<p>

"me? No, it was a Kroger bounty hunter,, and three humans,, they just left the den and are now going to some back ally."

"Right, and you did not help,, why?"

"I don't like Chora's den. I think they needed to remodel personally"

"There were three of you when you left my chambers." Sha'ira said accusingly.

"so? I had nothing to do with the mess in Chora's Den. Like I said, three humans and a Krogan did it, I think the humans were marines. Blue suns."

a chocked back laugh drew Sha'ira's attention for a moment before she turned back to her omni tool. "I think you did it." "Me? Of course not. Why would you think I would destroy such a wretched hive of scum and villainy? In public no less?" Sha'ira fought back her urge to face palm. "I mean, do you know what the sentence is for destroying private property? I would never do such a irresponsible thing. Never." The chocked back chuckles grew louder. Sha'ira glared at the person who lounged on her sofa. He just shrugged.

"Now, excuse me Sha'ira I do have to see a Qurian about a flash drive."

Shepard hung up. The man on Sha'iras sofa laughed outrageously. "ah Humans," he said at last working his way up right with a smile. "They never, grow old." "Your one to talk Zessus." Sha'ira said "your half human."

"True, but I grew up in Masari culture."

"Is this the reason you requested this hour?" Sha'ira said irately. "To brag about half your genome." as soon as she said Sha'ira regretted it. "Forgive me, I seem to have, lost my temper a little." "That is no problem Sha'ira, but I do have to talk to you, it has come to my attention you have a small Masari device of some kind, may I examine it?"

SHIFT  
>"Are you the Shadow Broker." Tali said glaring at the Turian in front of her. He was all wrong for that roll and the mercs around her were giving her the wrong vibe, for lack of a better word.<p>

"Of course I am." the 'broker' responded "now, the information, my sweet thing." he lifted a clawed hand to run along the side of her helmet.

"Forget,," before she could say, it the deal's off a canister bounced of, something bounced between them, landing on the floor between there feet. Some primordial part of Tali's brain, the part that had for so long been reserved to keeping Qurians safe from Trlagirs* screamed at her. Grenade: kick! She did her foot impacted the tube sending it flying into a wall seconds later it, and the two other unseen grenade detonated in flashes of light and a roar of sound. Her helmet automatically darkened to keep from blinding her. Meanwhile: a few feet away.

"DID WE GET THEM THIS TIME?" Wrex yelled. Near deafened by the bangs. "I hope so we've flashed banged three hobos already!" Shepard said. Tali ducked behind a box as the three man, (and one krogan) assault team tore into the mercs. While if one looked into the mind of Shepard they would see it as a highly organized procession (five targets, moderate shielding: lightly armored: Three round burst, pattern AS,AS,HE fire for effect.) from Tali's point of view it was chaos, maddening chaos. A blinding and deafening, chorus of muzzle flash and muzzle retorts.

Though she had drawn her shot gun, she had no idea what to shoot at! Everything was happening so fast! I mean, sure she was one sentence away from breaking the deal with those 'broker' agents but still! A Turian was blown onto the ground just inches from her, before she could do anything about him, before she could even think of Med-geling him a Krogan foot stomped down onto his spine, and blew his skull apart with a shot gun.

Turning a blood shot eye onto to Tali he yelled at the top of his lungs back over his shoulder. "I FOUND THE QURIAN!" "Wrex," before the human could say anything Tali acted. A overload, followed by a carnage blew his shields apart. The Carnage, robbed of most of it's force by the last of his shields blew him back ward into a wall. Before Tali could think of running a blue tracer blared across her field of vision. "put, the gun, down." Shepard commanded. "We don't mean you any harm, but I won't have you shoot at us again!"

"I have no idea what the keelah is going on! First I have a deal with the broker, only I don't think they were the broker, then grenades start raining from above! Then a bosh'tet team of Cal'dok's show up form no where and start shooting! I have no idea what's going on." Tali mid speech had stood up from behind her box, still brandishing her shot gun. "what's, a Cal'dok?" Kaidan asked coming out from behind Shepard shadow. "We had to invent a new world to describe are disgust of 'Synergy'" Tali said.

"_Ah,, they hate AI's, and were just about half AI_," Dedra commented to Shepard "_Makes sense, give me a moment,,, root words: Caldan: which is to say Machine,, and Dokofen which means the complex emotion of hating something, but also be impressed at how it can do the thing you hate. Like a fox that eats you chickens no matter how tightly you lock them in, yet theirs no sign of entrance. Seems there a bit split on are view of us."_

_"Yes your very clever."_ Shepard deadpanned. AI's and human tended to think fast, part of having so many computers in there head. The whole conversation (ok, monolog) had happened in the span of a couple seconds. "Well Tali," Shepard said getting his thoughts back in gear. "Fist set you up. It was a plot by Seren to get what ever data you have."

"I thought so." Tali said, not lowering the shot gun. Wrex gave a groan. "Is he going to be all right?" Tali asked suddenly concerned.

"Not to sound slightly racist, he's a Krogan. You can do open heart surgery on them with a bone saw and have there ribs grow back from where you snapped them off. Plus,, I hacked his armor I have a life reading scan on my headset, hes fine."

"WHAT HIT ME!"

"though he seems to have burst his ear drums, I told him wear the foam ear buds but no, he ignored me." Shepard shook his head.

"Ashley get Wrex back to the Normandy, we can patch his eardrums up there. Tali, we need you information to really stick it to Seren."

"Fine by me, this thing has caused me nothing but trouble, let me just upload."

"No," she looked up form her omni-tool for a second. "We got in enough trouble the first time with dang council AI issues, we need that data to go straight form your tool, to councils. So sorry, you stuck with us." "Fine by me." Tali said after a moment. "My name is Tali'Zorha nar Rayya."

SHIFT

the door to the human embassy opened, Shepard Kaidan and Tali walked into, to find a mad house. Working two different communication lines Udian was a panic. "Yes ambassador, I understand,, captain Walsen,, No Ambassador the alliance will pay for any and all damages,, yes captain I have a firm grasp of the kind of paper work you have to fill out,, Look, I need, no Ambassador I,, Errg." with a fist shake the holograms went off "Shepard! Do you have any idea of the depth of you foolishness is going to cost the Alliance!"

"I got the data I was ordered to get, it's not my fault a few thugs and gangsters got in are way."

"And quite frankly your low body count, and that of the stations criminals is the only thing that is keeping me from court marshaling you! And who is that!?" Shepard pointed a finger at Tali. "This, is are data, un-'contaminated' to present to the council. Her name is Tali."

"If she can do what you say she can, I don't care if shes a Vorcha, what exactly do you have? And how did you get it" Udian grumbled.

"I was on my pilgrimage when I heard about Eden Prime, and I manged to find, and aquire a Geth memory core,,"

"Back up," a holographic port lit up nearby showing Dedra's hologram. "how did you get a geth memory core, intact I may add. Even we can't do that in a combat situation."

"My people invented the Geth, if your smart and lucky you can get some information. It's not intact, but theirs enough information." she tapped a button on her omni tool.

"Eden prime was a great victory," "And, it brings us one step closer to the return of the Reapers,," silence. "That first voice was Seran, had to be. But who was that second?"

"Scanning: match found. Extra-net videos support it was matriarch benezia, but unless we can get some out side verification then were stuck at square one like Saren."

"Joy, but who the reapers."

"Legion told me about them," Shepard said. "Seren approached the geth with such a reaper warship and he got some get to follow him. He told me, they think the Reapers are Civilization Black." silence.

"What's civilization black?" Tali asked.

"A semi mythical race believed to be the cause of the Masair extinction event," Shepard responded. "Were talking a race with enough power to sweep the single most powerful civlization from the galaxy and not leave a trace of it." silence. Tali audably gulped.

"There were some image files of a race I don't recognize as well, maybe there Reapers." she tapped button on her omni tool and a thick set form appeared that every human knew by heart.

"Grunt." the three humans and one AI said at the same moment. Kaidian spoke next. "That's a Hierarchy solider, what the heck would the Geth have to do with them?"

"We need more information." Shepard said with a growl of annoyance. "We need to get Legion and Altea in the same room to figure this out and pin this thing down once and for all."

"I agree Shepard, but your talking about the most powerful being in the galaxy, we can't just give her a phone call and expect her to show up, Masair are heavy on there protocols, this will take time." "Time we don't have." Dedra countered. "We need to take the first step and attack Seren and hard, get the whole Alliance up in arms, the chance of the Heretics and Hierarchy working together s should be sending alarms bells ringing across a thousand planet!"

Udian thumped his fist into his plam "God damn it, Your right Dedra, I'll send the data to the Council, Shepard, get up there now to present it, I'll meet you there."

"Yes sir." Shepard spun on his foot, then spun fully around. "Where is Anderson any way?"

"He's back in the alliance prepping for the Terminus invasion, and let me tell you, when this gets out, it's only going to get worse for them."

"O, ok." Shepard then spun on his foot and left.

SHIFT

on the Normandy Wrex with repaired ear drums stared at Lilnam hologram across a table from him.  
>"I want 80" she started<p>

"10, you don't have expenses."

"75, yes I do, program upgrades can cost money, lots of money."

"20, Your a AI, you don't have many expenses.

"70, i'm greedy." "I'm the one carrying you around, and making the money, your only doing the helping. 20. "60: the targeting, the hacking, the background checking the contract booking, the on board medical systems, automated weapon useage, the whole thing."

"I am not spliting 50, 50 with a AI, look bad on tax returns. 35, final offer, and you can't make me move a percentage point."

"35.9999 repeating." "Smart ass." Wrex grumbled "I'm greedy." Lilnam chuckled. "Fine, deal, you get 35,,"  
>"point nine, nine, nine repeating." Linam cut off.<br>"Of the profit and you travel with me, and do all the electronic shit for me."

"done deal, we just need to talk about my advance payment." she said with a big grin on her holographic face.

"Hay Wrex." the Krogen turned to Ashley who was eating a MRE on a table behind the two."Fun fact, if you lightly tap or bonk a AI memory sticks it like swatting a human." Wrex bashed his omni tool agains the table, the high grade (Wrex only gets the best!) frame took the force with no damage.

Linam hologram stuttered. "Ok, ouch, that was not a swat, and second, what was that for!"

"Greed's good," Wrex replyed "it can really drive you, but only in moderation, now shut up about money, you already have Fists account."

"bah, the account was transferred to the broker and all I got was a message saying, "the broker always claims his dues. Hump." she pouted

"That's how the mercenary business goes." Fist sagely said

"No, it goes you do a job, and get payed, looting is a awesome side effect, hump the broker did not even want Fist's files. Hrump,," Linam crossed her arms and glowered slightly, "all well at least I get my share of the money you got from First."

"That was from before I hired you." Wrex countered.

She volleyed back "Ya, but you got paid after you told me to handle you bank account."

"Nice try, but I have yet to give you the password yet." Wrex smiled grimly.

"Hrump." Linam crossed her holographic arms and growled in frustration having been denied again. "That does bring up the question why the heck your still here." Ashley commented, "You've been paid, missions done, enemy killed you can go now."

"I want a word with Shepard first." Wrex replyed. "Thank him so to speak."

"your own fault for not using the ear buds and all." Ashley said.

Wrex's head set lit up in a small burst of static. "So, you want Shepard to hire you?"

"I want to go with him." Wrex softly spoke into a mike in his headset. "Shepard's a marine, he goes where the fighting thickest, and if it's not thick where he is, he makes it thick."

"That's a bit racist don't you think? Humans are a bit tough but there just as squishy as Salarians."

"But they get into fights like Krogan, and I have a gun feeling Shepard is going to get in a lot of fights. I want in."

"and not get paid?" Linam whimpered.

"Of coarse we get paid, you can make a lot of money just picking up used guns and selling them."

"Joy." Linam grumbled. Wrex chuckled before he spoke aloud. "Where is Shepard any way?"

"No idea." Ashely replied, "Should be here by now." she took a bit of her noodles, "likely with Udian doing politicking things." "Let me check," Linam replied, her hologram flickered as she shifted though the extra net, after a moment she whistled and her hologram became solid again.

"They nailed Seren and now there making Shepard a specter to go after him for the council rather then just have the Alliance invading every planet they think will lead to him."

"I suppose having a agent loyal to them working the case is better then just having the Allinace hacking anything that looks interesting." Ashely replayed.

"They've also tasked him to investigate Nihlus death since the death weapon was a Alliance weapon." Linam said as she got more information.

"That makes a lot more sense, Specters are not normally overly welcome in the Alliance, so make a human a specter get best of the treatys on the subject." Ashley said between bites. "The Alliance is likely going to give him the Normandy for his use, that was the plan earlier, and the Normandy's loaded out for bear. I doubt there is a single ship of equal tonnage that can compare."

Codex: Alliance Councilor relations-Specters.

Specters are granted almost limitless legal power with in council, Terminus, and Traverse space. Within worlds the Alliance controls though Specters are not. Early incidents were generally low key as Specters made small over steps of authority while in Alliance space that were quickly cleared up.

The council warned it agents to not go into the Alliance while they legally sorted it out but it was a low priority as compared to many other things. until, a high profile incident catapulted the issue to the forefront when a Specter trying to find information about a possible terror attack ended up in shoot out with a group of Eclipse mercs, a shoot out he started.

In a few minutes Alliance SWAT arrived, and the whole group was arrested (after the firing of a lot of nonlethal ammunition). The Eclipse mercs were found to have been acting in self defense so they were released and the Specter was then given to the Alliance legal system. The council tried to intervened but success was unlikely and the Specter was looking at a grim sentencing, until the terror attack he had been trying to stop, happened.

To the Alliance.

Suddenly, public opinion changed and the Alliance began negotating. The Specter was released and a Treaty was signed giving Specters the same authority they have in the council, as long as a human agent accompanied them to authorize there actions. These agents are bound by Alliance law, and therefore the Specters are as well since they need the Agent to sign off to any actions.

A blind eye is often given to there actions if they only target non Alliance citizens. So a Specter can generally chase a criminal from the Council to the Alliance and deal with them there, but if it involves a Alliance Citizen, within the Alliance, the the Specter must operated within the Alliance Legal laws, (though arrest warrants can some times be waved if the evidence is overwhelming enough, though a mandatory court hearing is held to determine if the evidence was overwhelming) However: specters are generally not liked among the Alliance police force they work with given the waving of the rules for non Alliance's citizens, rules they have to obey.

* * *

><p>*A bipedal carnivore with saber teeth, long clawed arms, and a system of camouflaging it self with local plants to make it almost invisible. Driven extinct when Qurians invented muskets.<p> 


End file.
